Queenless?

[Teemore]

Good morning folks!

Can I draw on the collective experience of the forum please?

Of my two colonies, one may be queenless. Both colonies are on 12 frames in National Hives.

I received the colony in question at the end of August and it had a full inspection (Q seen) prior to being relocated to my home but it hasn't had a full inspection conducted since then. A look under the crown board in warm weather during September showed bees covering 11-12 frames and there were young bees on orientation flights around that hive well into late Autumn/early Winter. The colony received thymolated syrup in August and were bedded down for Winter with some fondant: hefting confirmed a good supply of stores and there remains a good weight of stores in the hive . The colony was treated with OA by sublimation just before Christmas.

On 29th January I found a dead Queen outside the hive (Marking a Queen really does make her easier to find!). Judging by the state of decay she had been outside the hive for a few days. My first thought was - "I hope she was superceded."

Since finding the dead Queen I have seen young bees orientating outside the hive (approx. 12th February) but i realise these could be the progeny of the dead Queen. The bees continue to house-keep and when I last looked in through the hive entrance the OMF was clear of dead bees. Debris on the inspection floor (currently left in to let the hive warm a bit) suggests that the colony is clustering across 4-5 frames. They are actively foraging for water and for pollen and have taken advantage of the snowdrops in our garden; I am aware that the gathering of pollen and water is no guarantee that I do not have a DLQ or a laying worker. The colony was also very quick to take advantage of some salt dropped onto the landing board. The colony seems focued in its activities with none of the lethargy I understand would commonly be displayed by Queenless colonies. Temperatures at home have been between 8-12C every afternoon this week and this colony has been flying strongly. To date there has been no sign of any runty looking drones....

I am hopeful that the signs outlined above are indicative of a successful supercedure and that a Queen hatched and was successfully mated late Summer/early Autumn.

Are there any other signs I should watch out for to determine Q+/Q-?

Given that we have had afternoon temperatures of 8-12C, is there merit in pulling one of the frames on which I know the bees are clustering (from the position of debris on varroa inspection board) and checking for drone capped cells?

Thoughts and comments please.

 

[oliver90owner]

Leave until a warm day. It's been too long since the queen was removed from the hive to do much about anything until spring - laying workers might make things much more difficult at his time of the year. Then do a quick check for brood. I would suspect there is a late supercedure queen laying steadily.

If not, you have several choices. Wait for a queen to introduce, unite, introduce eggs/young larvae - either to get an emergency queen (not yet!) or just to keep the colony going until other options can be applied more easily. Usually an over-wintered queenless colony will simply dwindle slowly as there is no brood to start the ageing processes in the bees - so they continue to age as winter bees.

I would simply unite if it were my choice and I was sure it was q- without laying workers. The ensuing larger, stronger colony would be in a good position to split, at an early stage, to restore the colony number.

If superceded, I doubt the bees would reject the old queen if the young one was not doing the job, but there is always that risk.

Regards, RAB

 

[Teemore]

Cheers for the prompt response RAB!

You have confirmed my own thinking. I'm waiting for a warm day when I am not at work to assess the number of flying bees and hopefully that will give me a fuller picture of the colony's status.

I have held off doing anything in the hope/expectation that the colony superceded but if I confirm it is Q-, I'll follow the uniting option.

I am under the impression that my other colony is nursing brood in a fist sized cluster across three or four frames: there is a central area on the inspection floor that is fist sized, (my fists) spherical and almost completely clear of capping debris etc and is surrounded by a slightly heavier accumulation of debris (Two weeks+ accumulation approx)

Has anyone else any comments about determining Q- from external observations at this time of the year?

 

[MuswellMetro]

)

Has anyone else any comments about determining Q- from external observations at this time of the year?

emerging brood uncappings on the OMF bord should be whiter than store uncappings especially at this time of year because the bees have clamber over the stores all winter

i would clear the omf board then see if you can see any whiter cappings over the week

 

[Finman]

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If you have found a dead queen long time ago, it is better to open the hive and look what brood you have inside. If they are drone brood, the hive has an unmated queen. You need not wait for nice day.