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[italic63]

Hello again.
I joined a queenless drone laying colony with a smaller Queen right one 12 days ago. All seemed well when I watched them from the outside discard bits of newspaper through the front entrance. Yesterday I did the first inspection dove joining them.
I found no signs of fresh brood in either box and couldn't locate the marked queen.
Lots of bees seemingly getting on and I counted 5 good looking queen cells.
What should I do?
Thanks

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Accept you've lost a queen
Only time an unite with a colony of laying workers is going to be successful is if the queenright colony is a powerful strong one. And then there's still a chance it won't work

 

[italic63]

Ok thanks for the quick reply.
So does that mean that the Queen cells are likely to be duds as well? They were in the top box where the queenless colony was.
Should I try and insert a new purchased queen or will they likely kill her too?

 

[ericbeaumont]

the queenless colony

Assume you mean the laying worker colony? If so, they believe they're queenright and will kill an expensive new queen.

QCs on drone larvae are no use.

Basic answer to laying workers is to shake them out in the apiary on a flying day. Check out this from bushfarms.com.

 

[B+.]

an expensive new queen.

I had to ask about this part of your post. At what point does a "reasonably priced" queen become "expensive"? Does it apply to any queen that is purchased or just those above a certain price?
Personally, I prefer the quotation: "a good queen doesn't cost. She pays."

 

[ericbeaumont]

You're right, it was an error.

A queen for which good money has been paid may work better. Mind you, money is cheap to some these days.

 

[oliver90owner]

‘Queenless drone laying”

I’m not really convinced your colony was without a queen. Are you positively certain there was no queen?

Can you tell us exactly how you came to that conclusion?’

 

[italic63]

Weeks and weeks of zero brood. Them suddenly brood appeared with zero eggs in each cell. Eggs on the side of the cells and still no sight of the Queen

 

[ericbeaumont]

What should I do?

Have you other colonies?

 

[italic63]

Unfortunately no. I only had the two which now are one

 

[ericbeaumont]

Unfortunately no. I only had the two which now are one

Best get hold of a nuc, stick it in a hive and chuck out the laying workers.