Overwintered virgin

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Joined
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Exmoor
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Apologies in advance for what I'm sure is a standard daft newbeek question :dupe:, but if a new hatched queen fails to mate due to drone shortage (or anything else), do the colony eventually accept her or supercede - and does this depend on the time of year?

If she survives the winter, will she have another go at mating in the spring?
 
As title, drone layer! Not a lot of point superceding if no drones!

The is an 'age window' for mating, no different for the winter. She would be a DLQ by the spring.

RAB
 
I'm faced with a potentially similar problem, but I didn't understand a word of your reply, oliver90owner!!!!!!!!!!
 
Margot - DLQ= Drone Laying Queen, in other words not a lot of use to man nor beast. RAB was saying that if she doesnt mate within a certain period of time, she never will and will just produce drones.

Thanks RAB - quick follow-up - is a queens presence necessary for a colonys survival over-winter? I can see that it is extreamly desirable for a quick start in spring

BTW - all hypothetical questions, so no background given
 
Thanks RAB - quick follow-up - is a queens presence necessary for a colonys survival over-winter? I can see that it is extreamly desirable for a quick start in spring

Just occurred to me (must learn to engage brain before typing) that this would lead to drone laying workers, again very undesirable I imagine.
 
You will find if you have drones in the hive if when you open them up for a winter dose of oxalic acid you see them wondering around the top bars as I have. The queen, previously fine, had started laying drones and the colony simply dwindled away and was dead by the Spring.
 
Queens do disappear over winter resulting in Q- colonies in springtime. When and how is debatable, but nevertheless the colony is still going in spring. That is one reason why a lot of experienced beeks recommend the replacement of older queens with young queens in the autumn - because they are less likely to be a winter casualty.

Uniting (with relevant regard to laying workers) would be the likely quick fix in the springtime.

RAB
 
A virgin Queen has TWO weeks to mate or she will become a dud i.e. a drone layer. Better the gether mated if you can kill her as she is no use to anyone.
 
A virgin Queen has TWO weeks to mate or she will become a dud i.e. a drone layer. Better the gether mated if you can kill her as she is no use to anyone.

it is 4 weeks.

A hive wiil winter normally without queen. I have made this when the hive has killed 4 queen in autumn. Often the queen disapear totally during winter.
 

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