Done for Queen?

[rossbyjove]

Hive inspection today and came across this sorry looking specimen.
The hive is going full on .
Not sure why they feel the need to supercede unless she is past her best.
Barely able to walk and bees pretty much ignoring her.
Thought I heard piping from the hive as well.

 

[Antipodes]

Hive inspection today and came across this sorry looking specimen.
The hive is going full on .
Not sure why they feel the need to supercede unless she is past her best.
Barely able to walk and bees pretty much ignoring her.
Thought I heard piping from the hive as well.

The bee in the centre of your highlight doesn't really look like a queen. It looks more like a worker with drips/drops of honey on her which other bees are dealing with. Have you checked the brood area?

 

[Dodge]

Legs don't look large enough for a queen. My experience is that queens legs look a lot larger or beefier than worker legs.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Queens have a bald thorax and red legs

 

[rossbyjove]

It's just that the abdomen looked a bit longer than normal.
OK so I can sleep reasonably easy tonight.
Cheers Beeks.