Queenless question

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As an aside I would be interested in how many more experienced keepers have found laying workers in an overwintered queen less hive? I never have.

Just did this morning - opened the hive some days ago and found little brood apart from drone, went back today to sort out, it's still a very strong colony so doubt the queen has been dead that long, patchy brood pattern, a few mature drones walking around, two unviable QC's and some fresh drone larvae.