Virgin Queen or Failed Queen?

by Rebecca
(Santa Rosa, CA)

Hi - I'm new at the beekeeping adventure - loving it, well, most of the time, except for the times that I'm worrying about the bees!

I started a new hive last year from a package of bees. They did well all year and seemingly through the winter (live in Northern California - pretty mild winter). I was out last weekend for the first time this year to open the hive - finally stopped raining and had 70 degree weather.

When I pulled out the first frame from the top brood deep, low and behold, there was the queen. What are the chances! I kept looking through both brood boxes - each frame - but didn't see ANY brood - no eggs, no larvae - nothing! Just lots and lots of honey and pollen. So I visited the local bee supply store and talked with the owner.

He said my hive most likely swarmed and those who stayed behind are in the broodless period (about 3 weeks he said). He told me to check again this weekend, if still no brood then the explanation could be that the old queen failed (no swarm). What I did notice is that my bees seemed pretty touchy - buzzing loudly around my veil while I was there. Doesn't that suggest no queen or failed queen? Or do they get that way while waiting for the new queen to step up and start laying? He told me that if the old queen failed, eventually the worker bees will start laying eggs and that will mean the end of the hive since they won't accept a new queen at that point.

I'm really anxious to save my hive - just looking for some advice - either he was right, or maybe you have another idea? Thanks for any help you can offer.

Rebecca

Hi Rebecca

Having this set back in the hive is very likely to make the bees a little touchy.

There will be a lull in egg laying because the old queen stops laying a few days before she leaves and it takes a while for the new queen to hatch, mate and begin laying. Are you sure there were no eggs, it's sometimes difficult to spot newly laid eggs, if there were eggs they'll be hatched and the larvae growing so you'll see them next time you inspect?

Obviously you don't know whether the swarm, if it did a swarm, has just left, or has been gone some time. If the weather was cold and rainy just after the new queen hatched she may not have been able to embark on her mating flight immediately. In fact if she wasn't able to mate with the first 10-14 days she may now be barren.

I would leave it for perhaps a week and then take another look. If at that point you don't see and eggs or larvae I think I would introduce a new queen. Yo could take this opportunity to inject some new genes into your hive, or just try and get a queen or queen cell from another beekeeper locally.

Good luck! Please let us know what happens.

The Bee Guy