What might cause a laying queen to die?

[JCB]

Earlier this season a swarm of bees moved into my empty hive. It seemed to be going okay. I couldn't see the queen but there were signs of her activity by way of single eggs and a good brood pattern. Unfortunately I was unable to check the hive for a period of two months, and when I returned there were hardly any bees left. The inspection and some further reading up suggested that I had a case of a laying worker bee as there were clusters of eggs in some of the cells and there were irregular capped drone brood; the hive subsequently ended up dying out. Any suggestions what could have happened to the laying queen??

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Loads of things
Swarm led by an older queen who burnt out trying to lay up a new hive, emergency queen from that failed to mate or got lost on mating flight.
Same but superseded and new queen failed or got lost
Swarm led by virgin queen that subsequently either failed to mate or got lost on mating flight.

 

[ericbeaumont]

unable to check the hive for a period of two months

Risky.

If on another occasion you can't be there, ask another beekeeper to check for you and look for healthy brood, stores, and a functioning queenright colony.

Do you have another colony?

 

[Patrick1]

In addition to the earlier comments don’t forget the beekeepers hand in this, did you kill or damage her when replacing frames ?

 

[JCB]

Loads of things

Thank you. Your first two suggestions were possible (although I don't recall finding any queen cups ).

 

[JCB]

Do you have another colony?

Thank you. I don't have another colony, however I've since buddied up with another beekeeper in my village who has kindly offered to share time and resources should I continue keeping bees next season.

 

[JCB]

did you kill or damage her when replacing frames ?

Thank you. Sadly this is a possibility and, given that I didn't spot any queen cups, quite likely.

 

[JCB]

Thanks, all, for taking the time to reply. There is just so much to learn!

 

[Patrick1]

Don’t feel disappointed, you will as all of us do always be learning something, after 20 years it never stops

 

[pargyle]

Thanks, all, for taking the time to reply. There is just so much to learn!

Any beekeeper who has not suffered some sort of setback and the frustration of wondering what the devil they are doing or have done has never kept bees. It's a steep learning curve and its been a tough couple of years with Covid. Mutual support in beekeeping and contact with other beekeepers to share experiences in the early years is so important - this forum provides the nearest thing you can get outside of sitting in the pub talking bees over a beer or two. But, it's not the same as standing next to someone who has been keeping bees for a few years and looking through a colony together ...

Next year will be better, pick yourself up - get ready for next season - it's a learning curve. You do need to be able to inspect regularly during the season and if, for any reason, you can't you do need to have something in place to maintain the inspections (even if it's only a look for queen cells). You've learned a valuable lesson - bees will look after themselves but ... given the opportunity.... they may not do what the beekeeper would wish for !

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Any beekeeper who has not suffered some sort of setback and the frustration of wondering what the devil they are doing or have done has never kept bees.

..........or is totally out of touch with reality......................or is a liar

 

[JCB]

Thanks for the encouragements.