I have two hives, each with 2 deeps located in Northern, Illinois.  They are
in my back yard on a three acre, partially wooded site near a creek.
 
Last Thursday, I was checking the hives and noticed a single dead bee with a
large abdomon on the ground within a few inches of the landing board.  Upon
closer inspection, I recognized it as probably the Italian queen that was
mother to this hive which was started from a 2 lb. package this past Spring.
 She was not marked nor clipped but was the same color and size.  I had seen
her about 5 times this year during inspections.
 
The weekend before this, I had done a partial inspection of the hive bodies,
checking for honey stores weight, adding MO to the top bars, and cleaning off
burr comb.  I had not pulled the frames out nor seen the queen during this
brief inspection.  I had not seen any queen cells either.
 
So on Friday after finding the dead queen, I did a thorough inspection
pulling all the frames out and carefully checking both sides.  I did not find
any other queen, I did not see any queen cells.  There were not any eggs but
there were a few cells in two frames with some young larvae (curled in a semi
circle at the bottom of the cell).
 
I am convinced that this hive is now queenless so I have ordered a new
Starline queen from York, to arrive on Thursday or Friday this week.
 
My problem is that is is very late in the year to be requeening.  It is cold
here, and the end of the laying season.  I am wondering if anyone else has
experience requeening this late in the year.  Day temperatures are a high of
47 to 60 F.  Nights are beginning to frost.  I did notice that the hive still
has a good supply of drones... they haven't been evicted yet.  I had been
feeding Sugar syrup and there are about 13 full deep frames of sugar/honey
for the winter.
 
I am afraid that if I hang the queen between frames in the queen cage, that
she will be rejected and/or freeze over night.  Should I attempt to introduce
her by the shotgun method that I saw here?  i.e. spray the bees and queen
with sugar water scented with mint and let her loose?
 
Comments/advice would be appreciated.
 
Also, anyone think the MO killed her?  I was applying a bead to each frame
top bar and spreading it around with my finger so it was not very thick.
 
Thanks,
 
Tom in Rockford, Illinois