Why a queen leaves the hive
An established queen normally stays inside the hive. There are only a few reasons she leaves, and they lead to very different outcomes.
- A young virgin queen leaves on mating flights.
- An established queen leaves with a swarm.
- A queen can be lost, for example during a mating flight, or she may die or fail while in the hive.
Leaving on a mating flight
A virgin queen emerges from her cell and, after a period of maturing, takes one or more flights to mate with drones from other colonies. This typically happens in the first couple of weeks after she emerges, weather permitting. She then returns to the hive and begins laying. If she is lost on the way, for example to a bird, bad weather or by returning to the wrong hive, the colony is left without a queen.
Leaving with a swarm
In spring and early summer, a crowded colony may swarm. The old queen leaves with a portion of the workers, and the bees that stay behind raise or already have queen cells. A new queen then emerges, mates and takes over the original hive. This is a normal part of colony reproduction rather than a sign that something has gone wrong, although beekeepers often try to prevent or manage it.
When the queen dies or is lost
If a queen dies, is injured or goes missing, the colony notices the loss as her pheromones fade. Workers may begin to raise a replacement. They can do this by selecting a very young larva and feeding it heavily so it develops as a queen, which is often called emergency queen rearing.
Signs a hive is queenless
No single sign is conclusive, so look for several together.
- No eggs or very young larvae on the frames.
- A colony that sounds unsettled or louder than usual.
- Emergency queen cells, which are often built on the face of the comb.
- A shrinking population over time as the existing workers age and are not replaced.
- Spotty or drone-only brood, which may point to laying workers.
- Increased defensiveness or reduced orderliness in some colonies.
Finding eggs is usually the most reliable indicator that a queen was present within the last few days, even if you cannot spot her. It is also worth reading how many queens a hive can have to avoid mistaking a virgin or a second queen for a problem.
How the colony raises a replacement
Worker bees build queen cells around young larvae and feed them a large amount of royal jelly. The larvae develop into queens. The first queen to emerge may destroy the others. After maturing, she goes on mating flights and then starts laying. The entire process takes a few weeks from the loss of the old queen to a new queen laying, and it depends on the age of the larvae the workers chose and on the weather.
How long can a hive go queenless
There is no exact figure, and it depends on the season, colony size and whether young brood is available. A colony with eggs or young larvae can usually raise a new queen. A colony without any suitable young brood cannot, and it will gradually decline. Over time, workers can begin laying unfertilized eggs, which produce only drones, and a colony in that state is considerably harder to rescue. Because the risks grow with time, many beekeepers act within a couple of weeks of confirming that a colony is queenless rather than waiting it out.
What to do as a beekeeper
- Check carefully for a queen and for eggs. Look on several frames and allow for the fact that a new virgin queen is hard to see; how to tell a queen from a worker can help.
- Look for queen cells. If there are capped queen cells, it may be best to wait and give the colony time.
- Consider adding a frame of young brood from a healthy colony, which gives the bees material to raise a queen.
- Consider requeening by introducing a purchased or locally raised queen, following the supplier’s directions. A colony with laying workers is difficult to requeen.
- Combine the colony with a stronger one if it is too weak to recover.
If you are not sure which option suits your situation, ask an experienced local beekeeper or your beekeeping association.
Signs of a failing queen
A queen that is aging or failing may lay in a scattered pattern, lay few eggs, or produce a lot of drone brood. The colony may build supersedure cells to replace her. If you see these signs, record them and check again soon. Marking your queens by year can help you track their age; see queen bee marking colors by year.
Frequently asked questions
Do bees respect the queen? The colony is strongly organized around the queen’s pheromones, and workers feed and groom her. That is a matter of chemical signals and instinct rather than respect as people understand it.
How many times can a queen mate? A queen usually mates only during a short period early in life, with multiple drones, and stores the sperm to fertilize eggs for the rest of her life. She does not normally mate again later.
Is every queen the same? No. Queens differ by breed and origin, which affects behavior. See queen bee types and why they differ.