>   whilst
>queenless cols or cols with failing queens are quickly detrected.  Is that
>not so?
>
>Robin Dartington


Not necessarily. In fact, I have had a few nucs go queenless this summer.
They were in an area where I had SHB just introduced. So, I left them to
see what would happen. One box (2 nucs) slowly dwindled. I waited to see
what the beetles would do. When I picked it up, there was a small patch of
pollen with a few beetle larvae, but no destruction. This nuc box became so
weak that it was robbed. The other box (1 nuc on 8 combs) I was watching is
still alive, although queenless. I kept it around to show others how to
find SHB, and what they look like. It was never robbed.

Mike