Queen state?

[drex]

At the end of July I did an AS. I calculate the new queen emerged on 2/8/10.

Last week the hive was totally broodless, with no visible queen nor eggs. I put in a test frame, and today there are no queen cells, however there are still no eggs!

Today I have put in another test frame. I wish to unite the nuc colony ( containing old queen, who is still laying) with the parent hive, but need to know whether she is for the chop. Any suggestions as to what I do now, apart from await the second test frame? What then? I think the indications are that I have a queen but after 27 days she is still not laying and I cannot find her ( the bees remain calm).

I have delayed putting Apiguard into either of these colonies, as I do not wish to upset them. I have put it in my two other colonies today.

On a good note, this is my first year, and I would have been happy to simply have ended up the year with 2 good colonies ( instead I have 3 and a half), and was not worried about getting a honey crop. However I have just bottled up 16lb of my very first honey - beautiful - what a bonus!

 

[Midland Beek]

I don't think there was any point in putting in a test frame. The first one told you that there is a queen in there.

Whatever queen is in there, it will start laying at some point, and with all the wet weather we have had I would not be surprised if she has mated successfully.

When a queen is actually laying eggs they are always more easy to find.

 

[oliver90owner]

Simples. You appear to have a queen present (result of fest frame). I would not normally unite with 2 queens present unless both were good queens and there was good reason for not finding her.

Your choice of what to do. You know what the weather has been like in your area. Certainly not been good for mating queens at some of the time, at least. Perennial problem in the UK; one reason why so many queens are imported.

Regards, RAB