Wingless queen

[Kaz]

I was working my way through some of my hives yesterday and found an unmarked queen with no wings (I seem to have had more autumn supercedures than usual, from last years queens- is this a pattern anyone else is seeing?) Anyway, when I went to pick her up to mark her, I realised she didn't have any wings . I can't imagine it's going to make for a good making flight , and fortunately the original queen was on the next frame, but any conjecture about what might happen next? Stick with the original queen and kill this one? Try to supercede again? Any thoughts about the reason for missing wings? Birth deformity/varroa damage?

 

[Sutty]

I can only assume DWV.
I would kill her, leave the original queen, treat for varroa, and see what happens.

 

[smok]

is she laying eggs??

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I can only assume DWV.
I would kill her, leave the original queen, treat for varroa, and see what happens.

a wingless queen isn't going anywhere (quite literally in this case)

 

[JamezF]

a wingless queen isn't going anywhere (quite literally in this case)

She'll be going on a gatepost holiday...

James

 

[Swarm]

I was working my way through some of my hives yesterday and found an unmarked queen with no wings (I seem to have had more autumn supercedures than usual, from last years queens- is this a pattern anyone else is seeing?) Anyway, when I went to pick her up to mark her, I realised she didn't have any wings . I can't imagine it's going to make for a good making flight , and fortunately the original queen was on the next frame, but any conjecture about what might happen next? Stick with the original queen and kill this one? Try to supercede again? Any thoughts about the reason for missing wings? Birth deformity/varroa damage?

My friend had a queen who lost both wings, they were definitely present and she was intact, when she was introduced as I ran her onto the comb. The following year, he found a queen with just one wing so we went through them and found her, sure enough, just one wing and then we found her mother who was now wingless. I spoke to Peter Little about it as I'd not come across this before, he had seen similar. We split them and waited to see if 'one wing' was a laying queen and yes she was.
They were lovely colonies but sadly both were lost to floods a couple of years later.

 

[smok]

ok if she is lying eggs and brood are present,then leave in peace and dont listening stupid calls "gate post"what the problem they have,i start only worrying if no eggs are

 

[North End Bees]

ok if she is lying eggs and brood are present,then leave in peace and dont listening stupid calls "gate post"what the problem they have,i start only worrying if no eggs are

The original queen is still in the hive (laying eggs).

 

[Kaz]

I must admit I may have been overthinking it but I like to speculate on what might have caused it. My first thoughts were that HM was *behaving* like a mated queen, walking calmly about the comb and not bustling around like virgins normally do. She's also quite a good size (is that a way of telling?). I wondered if maybe she started out with wings but lost them in a tussle, either with the bees or the other queen (there are no other signs of DWV in the hive, they were treated for varroa in August and December, and given that queens are sealed for the shortest time i would have expected to see it in drones first?). I'm quite intrigued and want to see whether she does end up laying, and whether if she doesnt the bees deal with it and let her die. I have some spare queens so I've nothing to lose in letting this play out, I'm reluctant to intervene at the moment as it's a learning opportunity for me . But if you more experienced forum members think it could go pear shaped and detriment the colony I'll remove her

 

[Sutty]

I must admit I may have been overthinking it but I like to speculate on what might have caused it. My first thoughts were that HM was *behaving* like a mated queen, walking calmly about the comb and not bustling around like virgins normally do. She's also quite a good size (is that a way of telling?). I wondered if maybe she started out with wings but lost them in a tussle, either with the bees or the other queen (there are no other signs of DWV in the hive, they were treated for varroa in August and December, and given that queens are sealed for the shortest time i would have expected to see it in drones first?). I'm quite intrigued and want to see whether she does end up laying, and whether if she doesnt the bees deal with it and let her die. I have some spare queens so I've nothing to lose in letting this play out, I'm reluctant to intervene at the moment as it's a learning opportunity for me . But if you more experienced forum members think it could go pear shaped and detriment the colony I'll remove her

If curious I'd make up a small nuc with her and see whether she produced worker brood or drone
Would be fascinating to know.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

then take the wingless one out, if needs be nuc her with a frame of brood and a frame of drawn comb (and a good shake of workers) if no eggs/worker brood in a week, she's a dud, pinch her and shake the rest out in front of the original hive