Laying workers

[clv101]

I took this photo at the weekend, not one of my hives:

By the multiple eggs in the cells, it's laying workers. However there wasn't much if any drone present and, as you can see, a queen. Not many bees and only one frame of brood. No sign of queen cells.

I guess the queen is failing and her pheromones aren't suppressing the worker ovariole development. But why wouldn't they attempt to supersede? Too few bees?

 

[richardbees]

The proof for a 'laying worker' is if the eggs are attached to the side of the cells.....

sorry, I can't see from your pic

 

[maddydog]

Thought it was the presence of brood that suppressed laying workers?

I had a laying worker colony last year and the eggs were scattered all over the cells both bottom and sides. Looks like the Q has chosen to lay a number of eggs in 3 or 4 cells??

 

[oliver90owner]

How many workers in that colony?

Queen virtually on her own does not look right to me.

Not laying workers, that is fairly definite. You need to think a bit deeper for the reason, not jump to the first/only conclusion which comes to mind.

 

[Tom Bick]

The proof for a 'laying worker' is if the eggs are attached to the side of the cells.....

sorry, I can't see from your pic

Laying workers are very capable to lay egg's on the bottom of cells.

 

[clv101]

Not many bees in the colony, only covering two frames. The brood covers an area of your hand on each side of one frame. Not many bees in the photo as they were blown aside for a clear view of the cells, then the queen was encouraged into shot.

The main characteristics of the hive are lots of stores, few bees, small brood nest, no drone brood, no queen cells. What brood there is looks healthy and the adults bees also look healthy.

It looks like the queen is failing but they aren't superseding her.

 

[ijcooper]

Maybe they've superseded already, and there are 2 queens in the hive, the new one being a bit inexperienced and responsible for what you are seeing?

 

[richardbees]

Laying workers are very capable to lay egg's on the bottom of cells

not usually - there's a rare exception to every rule

EDIT

civ, I see you've got other hives.

May I suggest you consider 'culling' that Q and uniting over a QE/newspaper onto a healthy colony?
As long as you keep an empty (foundation only) Super underneath, they'll hatch the brood and take down any stores.

 

[clv101]

Maybe they've superseded already, and there are 2 queens in the hive, the new one being a bit inexperienced and responsible for what you are seeing?

That could well be a possibility.

 

[MuswellMetro]

i think it is not enough laying area for the queen as so few workers to prepare the cells

so not laying worker just too few bees, if she was failing, then these eggs would be devloping into drone larvae not worker, both open brood and the queen produce E-beta-ocemine and that reduces workers laying

whats the history of the hive,the brood does look a bit diploid droneish caused by the queen mating with her own drones and then laying sterile diploid drone eggs policed by the workers but i have seen worse

Or could it be something like nosema, CBPV or DWV reducing the viable brood so too few workers

 

[MuswellMetro]

dupilcate

 

[Hivemaker.]

Laying workers are very capable to lay egg's on the bottom of cells

not usually - there's a rare exception to every rule

Not rare, and they can also lay a perfect uniform pattern with just one egg in the center base of each cell.

This queen appears to need a lot more bees with her.

 

[richardbees]

Hivemaker

Sorry, I disagree.

Your multitude of hives no doubt exhibit all sorts of variations...
but I still maintain for a domestic beekeeper:- the eggs from an average/normal laying worker are invariably on the side wall of the cell, because their abdomen is not long enough to reach the floor of the cell.

richard

 

[Tom Bick]

Yes Richard but the bee does not restrict herself to only sticking her abdomen into the cell to lay the egg.

 

[richardbees]

Tom
Good of you to arbitrate and I'm sure some Qs lay eggs with their fingers...

however, I think bbka module 6 contains something along the lines of "the Q deposits a sticky substance on which she lays an egg at the bottom of the cell" ..." laying worker's abdomen is too short so lays the egg on the side of the cell"

there are always exceptions !

good luck with your honey harvest - mine looks dire

richard

 

[Tom Bick]

It's another case of the bees not reading the books Richard.

Yes so far my bees are doing great and if the current hot weather continue it will be a record year. Hope it improves for your bees.