Queenless colony

[Hivemaker.]

remember every time yo look in your hive it knocks them back 24 hours

Never noticed this to be the case.

 

[steve_e]

Just resurrecting this thread from last autumn, where I posted asking for advice on a possible Queenless colony. As related in the first post I hadn't been able to find any eggs or brood for around six weeks or so after removing the last api-life treatment, and also hadn't been able to find a Queen despite several quite careful searches (although I'm pretty rubbish at finding Queens and this one wasn't marked).

Anyway, as others have been reporting, my hives are very lively today including this one. They seem quite purposeful and are bringing in pollen. Is this a good sign (ie might they be bringing in pollen anyway if there was no Queen)?

 

[Hombre]

I think Steve, that without a queen they would have lost focus and dwindled. I think that your queen merely stopped laying for the winter and you probably saw the comb filled up with syrup feed. Good queenie, up and at it with for the coming spring.

Always best to keep the faith and be certain. I'm glad it's all worked out OK and I'm sure that you have learned a thing or two about your bees through it. Same when you are waiting for a virgin queen to get mated. Don't give up until the signs are positive that something has gone wrong - laying worker etc.

Have a good season.

. . . And thanks for the feedback.

 

[steve_e]

Thanks for that Hombre. It takes the pressure off to know that the bees can survive despite me, rather than because of me!

 

[Heather]

They think they are ok if bringing in pollen, so let them be for 2 weeks to crack on -then check when weather better. Should know definitely then.