I too have had a time of it getting a
queenless hive to succeed in getting a queen back to
the hive and laying. The hive in question was a swarm
that I caught and hived but then it swarmed leaving
behind the queenless bees.
 
        Two attempts of adding a frame of eggs and
brood and having 12 swams cells the first time and then
6 supersedure cells the second but still no queen has
left me with a hive I'm about to join with another! (It
was interesting to see the difference between the first
attempt and second; swarm cell versus supersedure
cells.)
 
        Reduced drone numbers due to mites, weather,
fewer hives may be having an effect.  Never having
attempted to get a queenless hive to make a queen I'm
not sure what the batting average should be though.
 
        I decide to try and have the bees make a queen
rather than buy one as I would learn more in the
process. So far I have learned alot more.
 
        I was thinking that by the second attempt
(after 4 weeks without a queen) that the hive might be
making some laying workers. If the hive constructs
queen cells does that mean there are no laying workers
yet? Or better said will the presence of laying workers
suppress the urge to make queen cells? Will laying
worker or their sisters tear down queen cells or kill
the queen?
 
        Jim Moore
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