Is the hive queenless

[Goshawk]

Does it always mean that if there is no brood and no eggs that the hive is queen less, do they ever just have a break from laying. Also if they have become queen less why did they not make an emergency queen while they still had eggs? The hive in question has good numbers of bees and is making stores. I have looked for a queen but cannot find her if she is there. That is nothing unusual I normally struggle to find the queens. Any thought please.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Does it always mean that if there is no brood and no eggs that the hive is queen less, do they ever just have a break from laying. Also if they have become queen less why did they not make an emergency queen while they still had eggs?

Queens do sometimes take a brood break so you could have a queen in there, colonies will sometimes not make EQCs, maybe because the queen is still there but not laying and by the time the bees realise she's a dud it's too late.
The only way to make sure is to pop in a test frame - if they make queen cells, they are definitely queenless, if they don't make Queen cells - they may be queenless, or may not.

 

[drex]

Mine have gone off lay a couple of times this season, coupled with the fickle weather. Bit of panic at first but when I thought it through and applied some patience I did not get to need the test frame.

 

[Goshawk]

Is a test frame a frame of brood, lava

Queens do sometimes take a brood break so you could have a queen in there, colonies will sometimes not make EQCs, maybe because the queen is still there but not laying and by the time the bees realise she's a dud it's too late.
The only way to make sure is to pop in a test frame - if they make queen cells, they are definitely queenless, if they don't make Queen cells - they may be queenless, or may not.

thank you very helpful.

 

[Goshawk]

I take it a test frame is a frame with brood, lava, and eggs from another hive.

 

[Corbeehives]

Yes, You give them a frame with eggs and young lava so they can make queens if they need too. If they've been queenless for a long time they might have laying workers or not have any young bees left who can look after the brood.

 

[drdrday]

I take it a test frame is a frame with brood, lava, and eggs from another hive.

Yes, it's eggs a frame (or piece) with eggs and very young larvae. If you don't want to take a whole frame of young brood from another hive you can just use a biscuit cutter (or similar) to cut out a section and pop it into the same size cutout in a frame in your (possibly) queenless hive.

 

[pargyle]

Yes, it's eggs a frame (or piece) with eggs and very young larvae. If you don't want to take a whole frame of young brood from another hive you can just use a biscuit cutter (or similar) to cut out a section and pop it into the same size cutout in a frame in your (possibly) queenless hive.

Yes ... you can get quite creative if you so desire ....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Birkmann-1010718810-Cuddle-Biscuit-Cutters-Stainless/dp/B01K1Y9J74

 

[madasafish]

Took a mated Q to allotment where I help manage hives. One split has no eggs /larvae etc for a month.

Opened it up and checked - eggs!
Queen returned home for sale to someone whose hive is queenless tomorrow.

Expect the same result there as well

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes, it's eggs a frame (or piece) with eggs and very young larvae. If you don't want to take a whole frame of young brood from another hive you can just use a biscuit cutter (or similar) to cut out a section and pop it into the same size cutout in a frame in your (possibly) queenless hive.

If you’re cutting out then make sure the piece has young larvae not eggs. Eggs are often simply eaten queenless or not.
I can’t be bothered with the faff of cut and paste I move the donated frame back where it came from once it’s done it’s job.

 

[StephenT]

If they start making QC’s from the test frame, do you have to remove it before merging with a hive with a queen? Had a thought that they may try to kill the queen from the other hive if they are trying to make a queen of their own.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If they start making QC’s from the test frame, do you have to remove it before merging with a hive with a queen?

You just remove the QCs and, if you want, put it back in the donor hive

 

[Erichalfbee]

You should be safe enough leaving it in. If I have a colony that’s been without a queen for long enough to warrant a test frame there’s no original brood left so I break down the queen cells and use a push in cage over the test frame. Or better still unite the colony to a queenright one

 

[Goshawk]

All good advice thank you all.

 

[Goshawk]

I did put a test frame in and looked yesterday, no queen cell made but new brood, capped in the hive so I guess she just had a few days off.

 

[drex]

I often find that putting a test frame in encourages a reluctant queen to come into lay. Happened last week

 

[ericbeaumont]

I guess she just had a few days off.

Unless there's no nectar coming in or you don't feed, she will keep laying provided there's no physical reason to stop. Quite common for queens to go off lay in a drought or between flows.

 

[oliver90owner]

I often find that putting a test frame in encourages a reluctant queen to come into lay. Happened last week

Just fortuitous, I expect. Queen is controlled by workers, so it is not her being ‘reluctant’.

 

[drex]

Seen it happen a good few times. Then it stimulates the workers to encourage the queen, whatever the mechanism, I believe there is a link. Brood pheromone?