If a hive has a queen that lays an inordinate amount of drones, what is the chance that the colony will kill the queen and make one to replace her? The reason I ask is because I have a hive in which there was lots and lots of drone brood in late March. Within a week or two of noticing this, there didn't appear to be any queen at all, then when I inspected the hive thoroughly, I found a single queen cell that was torn at the bottom, and now, there is a queen laying again. I'm just wondering if the death of the previous queen was likely a fluke/ accident, or if the bees will replace a queen who is a heavy drone-layer.
question about inadequate queen
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Yes they will replace a queen that is losing feritily (as evidenced by the drones). Unfortunately sometimes they don't do it until the hive is in really bad shape.
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michael is right,I would not wait I'd be getting me another queen & as soon as I could.
This time you lucked out and the bees intervened soon enough, but I would probably take steps to requeen as soon as I saw a drone layer.
Thanks. That's what I suspected. The funny (or not so funny) thing is, the original queen was new last year and didn't lay so many drone eggs. Is this just poor breeding, or are some queens genetically inclined to lay more drones? I've heard of this, but never seen it. Will the workers kill off drones if there are too many? Or will they wait until Fall? I think I need to keep a close eye on this one. Thanks for the input.
>Is this just poor breeding, or are some queens genetically inclined to lay more drones?
The queen is running out of fertile eggs. Don't know why some run out sooner. Maybe she didn't find enough drones, maybe it's just how she is.
>I've heard of this, but never seen it. Will the workers kill off drones if there are too many?
No. They will not. A lot will drift to other hives though.
>Or will they wait until Fall?
They will in the fall.
>I think I need to keep a close eye on this one.
It happens. Sounds like the bees have already resolved it.
The queen is running out of fertile eggs. Don't know why some run out sooner. Maybe she didn't find enough drones, maybe it's just how she is.
>I've heard of this, but never seen it. Will the workers kill off drones if there are too many?
No. They will not. A lot will drift to other hives though.
>Or will they wait until Fall?
They will in the fall.
>I think I need to keep a close eye on this one.
It happens. Sounds like the bees have already resolved it.
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