What do you guys think is going on here and what (if anything) should I do?

[Aerindel]

The hive, Medium lang, foundationless, started from a package, May 4th this year, Carnolions.

Everything was fine and in fact this was my best hive until:

First sign of trouble was about a month and a half ago. I observed capped brood and eggs, no uncapped brood. Queen was spotted.

A couple weeks later, eggs, very little capped brood, very little uncapped brood. Queen present. One frame of mixed brood added from another hive.

A week after that, no eggs, very little capped brood. Queen not found. Added another frame of mixed brood.

A week later, No eggs, no brood. Three open queen cells with larvae, one capped queen cell. No queen spotted. Added yet another frame. Bees VERY ANGRY! I got more stings in this inspection than I have in the past year combined.

Today, about a week later, No eggs, No brood ( other than some capped on the frames I added the previous weeks) Three empty queen cells being torn down. One capped queen cell, no queen seen. Added another frame of brood and one of honey. Bees much calmer.

Season wise I am about a week from the main nectar big flow of the year.

My theory is that I had a queen was started failing and stopped laying for a couple weeks. She started again but poorly and then died or was killed a couple weeks later. After that I don't know. I was hoping to see eggs today.

Thoughts? Do you think I have a new queen who hasn't started laying yet and that is why the queen cells are being torn down or did my bees given up on re-queening?

[JRG13]

Sounds like a Virgin queen maybe. The bees being calmer might indicate that but it's not a definite answer. I'd probably give it another frame and check back on it in a week and see if you have eggs yet.

[Seymore]

It can take a week or so for her to start laying, so giving it a few more days is good. However, I dont understand still having a capped queen cell. That is very curious...

[robo mantis]

Carniolans are known for shutting down brood rearing in dearths. So maybe that could explain lack of brood.

[Mr.Beeman]

Sit back and relax.

My bees stopped laying for a few weeks during the drought (dearth).
Once your queen emerges and gets mated, you will see eggs wtihin a week to ten days.

[NeilV]

I think your analysis is right -- you had a bad queen and a supersedure is going on. Wait a week to 10 days to see eggs. If you don't then you need to buy a mated queen. Depending on the exact timing, there is probably either a virgin queen or newly-mated queen in there somewhere, but they can be hard to spot and it takes a little time for egg laying to start.

[Aerindel]

Thanks. Pretty much was I was thinking but its good to hear it from others.