Sometimes you need to find your queen, and sometimes you only need to know that she is alive and well. The presence of eggs means she was there sometime during the last three days. The presence of larvae (uncapped brood) means she was there between three and nine days ago, depending on how large the larvae are.
But, if you absolutely must find an unmarked queen, there’s nothing like a little practice. You’ll find that spotting her gets much easier after you’ve done it a few times and learn how to look.
I usually start by removing a frame from one of the ends. Check it quickly and set it aside. This gives you some room to work, and makes it less likely that you will “roll” the queen as you move frames in and out. Also, although I’ve seen queens on end frames, it’s rare. Usually they stay closer to the center, and usually they are on frames that contain some brood.
So slide the frames one-by-one into the empty space until you get to the edge of the brood nest. You will recognize this area because instead of just honey, you will see some cells filled with brood, or cells that recently contained brood. You may also notice cells filled with pollen. Gently lift the first of these out and scan for the queen.
When I’m scanning a frame, I don’t look at individual bees but I look for something different, something that doesn’t quite fit the pattern. The queen is not only longer with a pointed abdomen, but she stands with all six legs splayed apart. She can move quickly, and the workers part the way for her as she goes. And when she stops, a group of them will stand facing her. You can often spot her by watching for this activity. She will often dart to the dark side of the frame, however, so when you turn it over look quickly before she again heads for the shadows.
Check both sides of each frame, replacing it in the hive after you’ve looked. Be sure to leave a space between the ones you’ve checked and the ones you haven’t so she can’t backtrack.
You can go through the frames a second time if you don’t succeed on the first pass, but quit and close the hive if the second try doesn’t work. After twice through, the hive needs time to calm down and restore order. You can try again in a few hours or on another day.
Rusty
What happens if I introduce a new queen (have had old one for 3 years) without finding the old queen?
Paul,
Most probably one queen will kill the other. An older queen will probably be killed by the younger one, but you can’t be sure. The thing you want to avoid is having them both kill each other–a situation that can happen and that will leave you queenless.
I know it is hard to find a queen, but you can do it!
Rusty
I don’t have the hive yet. How do I get a queen bee and its colony introduced into a new hive and make them stay there?
Aziz,
Please see “How to install a package of bees,” “When to unite the queen and a package of bees,” and “How long should I feed a new package of bees.”
Hello, I want to have a little hive so I can feed my baby with natural honey. I live in north London. Is it OK if I have one here and where can I find a small hive with a complete colony?
Please refrain from giving very young children honey, especially infants under one year of age. Although it is rare, babies have come down with cases of botulism poisoning from honey. The spores can live in honey and the digestive tracts of very young children are not developed enough to handle them.
I live in the states. If you want to know about beekeeping in London, here is the website of the British Beekeeping Association: http://www.britishbee.org.uk. Or you might want to contact my friend Emily who lives in west London. Her blog is here: http://adventuresinbeeland.wordpress.com/. I’m sure she will help with your questions.