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Back in mid-September, I had a colony that lost its queen and developed into a laying worker colony. In an attempt to save the hive, I combined it with a second hive. This merger seemed to be unsuccessful, as about a month afterwards I could find no sign of a live queen and the now combined hive continued to display signs of being a laying worker colony. With it being so late in the year, I left the hive as-is and did not expect it to live through the winter. One week ago, however, I was shocked to find bees flying around on a mild day taking cleansing flights. A few days after that, I listened to the side of the hive and sure enough, the colony was still alive.
I am now trying to figure out what to do with the hive come spring. Obviously, a lot can still happen between now and then and their continued survival through the rest of winter is not guaranteed. Is it possible for a laying worker colony to live through a winter in such a manner as this? Or does this suggest that maybe they do have a queen yet after all? If it is still a laying worker colony, how feasible would it be to introduce a new queen in the spring? Or maybe I would be better off just starting over?
I am now trying to figure out what to do with the hive come spring. Obviously, a lot can still happen between now and then and their continued survival through the rest of winter is not guaranteed. Is it possible for a laying worker colony to live through a winter in such a manner as this? Or does this suggest that maybe they do have a queen yet after all? If it is still a laying worker colony, how feasible would it be to introduce a new queen in the spring? Or maybe I would be better off just starting over?