[Stone]

I think I have a queenless hive. I opened up both of my TBHs last week during our snap of very warm weather - near 80 degrees F. I moved one colony to a larger, newly built hive (rubbed the inside all over with wax first). Could not spot the queen in either hive but since all seemed well, I went about my business. The transfer went well and all the bees settled down in the new hive. The next day the bees in both hives were coming back with lots of pollen.

Went to take a look today (a week later) and no bees were coming out of the new hive while the other was VERY busy. Still too cold here to open them up - hovering around 50 degrees F. I suspect the queen is missing in the transferred colony.

My Question: What do I look for to know for sure it's queenless and what can I do to remedy the situation? Thanks.

 

[buckbee]

Find a comb in your good hive with eggs and young larvae, brush the bees off and place it in the probably-queenless hive. If they don't have a queen, they will make one from an egg: if they do, no harm done.

 

[Sam-Smith]

Yea, if you want to look check for eggs no eggs means no qr queen for at least 3 days prior, but buckbee is right of course simplest thing to do is give em some eggs.

Sam.

 

[Stone]

Thanks for your help! Needless to say this is a first for me. What's the best place to put the bar of eggs and brood? Should I allow for any space on either side of this new addition?

 

[Joseph Clemens]

For me I look to see where the cluster is located, which super has the majority of the bees. I then would choose to locate such a frame of eggs in the center of that cluster.

 

[Sam-Smith]

What temps are you getting, because if the weather isn't warm enough your new queen will have to wait to mate. And if you have almost no bees left in your failing hive..

 

[KQ6AR]

Is the new hive in the same location of the old hive.
If you moved the location of the new bigger hive, bees may have gone back to the other.

 

[Stone]

What temps are you getting, because if the weather isn't warm enough your new queen will have to wait to mate. And if you have almost no bees left in your failing hive..

The temps are moderate at this time: Ten day forecast is for the mid 50s into the low 60s. Actually it's cooler than normal. Bees are still flying.

Regarding the location of the hive: It's in the same location and the bees moved in without a blink.

 

[Sam-Smith]

The temps are moderate at this time: Ten day forecast is for the mid 50s into the low 60s. Actually it's cooler than normal. Bees are still flying.

Regarding the location of the hive: It's in the same location and the bees moved in without a blink.

50 - 60f is to cold for a queen to mate, almost to cold to fly. Doesn't mean they wont raise a new queen just means she will wait for warmer weather.

Sam.

 

[Stone]

Hovering around 60F. Very sunny, high pressure. Bees are all over the place - crawling and flying. Looks like they have a new lease on life. Keeping my fingers crossed about all this.

I sent Sam Comfort an email - who is not too far from here - asking if he'd have a mated queen available. Waiting.....