Possible drone laying queen

[SireeDubs]

Hello all,
Any advice would be very gratefully received. This is a first for me and mentor on hols.

Questions...
1. Have I possibly got a DLQ?
2. Could the colony be trying to replace her?
3. Rear my own or buy-in a queen at this time of year?

Details...

I have a hive in which the queen emerged mid May and began laying 3 weeks later, so all pretty good I thought. In the early stages, last week, I had some double eggs in cells, but all at bottom of the cell, so I concluded that it was a new queen settling down.

Now I'm seeing capped brood, but in what I'd consider to be a rather irregular pattern. There also seems to be a high number of drone brood. I can't see any classic signs of any disease etc. that may be associated with irregular patterns. The colony is foraging well, but obviously the workers are ageing with no replacements yet.

While waiting for the queen to start laying, the colony placed a fair bit of stores in the brood frames, which they seem to have been slow to remove. Could this be the reason for the irregular pattern (ie stores in the way)? Or is it possible that I have a poorly mated queen? A number of new queen cups have appeared, empty as yet. Could they be trying to replace her?

If it's a poor queen - I re-queen (or unite). However, I assume I need to find her and have not seen her yet... So I do need to get looking I guess. I'd prefer to raise a queen from my original colony (put in a frame of uncapped brood), but is it better to try and buy in at this stage in the year?

Thanks in advance.
T

 

[oliver90owner]

The middle of June is no real problem for raising queens. But your colony is. First capped brood could contain a fair amount of drone brood until she got the hang of fertilised cells equals workers and misfires equals drones.

Time line again. Mid May, lets say 15th. Three weeks later brings us to 5th June for start in lay. Add nine days to see capped brood and here we are. At just yesterday. So not been laying long enough to be sure.

Advice therefore, on my time line calcs, is to be patient for two or thee more days before jumping to wrong conclusions.

That gets rid of Q1. for a couple days. Q2. Too early to say on my time line calcs. Q3. Your choice but I would be reticent to raise one in that colony.

Why start hunting the new queen? Think sensibly; you only need to find her once - if she needs removing, and she may not. So why the rush?

Patience (and time lines) is needed. You worry too much about possibilities. Work on facts.

 

[SireeDubs]

The middle of June is no real problem for raising queens. But your colony is. First capped brood could contain a fair amount of drone brood until she got the hang of fertilised cells equals workers and misfires equals drones.

Time line again. Mid May, lets say 15th. Three weeks later brings us to 5th June for start in lay. Add nine days to see capped brood and here we are. At just yesterday. So not been laying long enough to be sure.

Advice therefore, on my time line calcs, is to be patient for two or thee more days before jumping to wrong conclusions.

That gets rid of Q1. for a couple days. Q2. Too early to say on my time line calcs. Q3. Your choice but I would be reticent to raise one in that colony.

Why start hunting the new queen? Think sensibly; you only need to find her once - if she needs removing, and she may not. So why the rush?

Patience (and time lines) is needed. You worry too much about possibilities. Work on facts.

Many thanks RAB. Much appreciated. I'm learning patience, but it's taking some time!
T

 

[Finman]

.
Change it.
I have never met that young queen starts with drone laying.

Young queens are very normal when they start. At least I do not watch them long if they are not normal.