Will a hive tolerate a non mated Queen for long

[CB008]

I had a hive where the queen failed mid summer so I combined with another with a young laying queen. All went well until September 7 when I noticed some supersedure cells. Assuming the bees know best I let them get on with it.
My concern is that since then I have seen no eggs. I assumed that she had gone off lay owing to MAQ treatment but as they were still no eggs this Saturday I put in a test frame. I had a quick peek today and found no QCs. Had there been some I would have knocked them down and united with a NUC I have. Now I am unsure whether they have an unfertile Queen so will not produce QC's and in which case they will not last the winter. If the weather was good I would rip this double brood apart and find the queen but this is not an option with this poor weather now.
I am unsure how best t to proceed and would welcome advice

 

[beeno]

Hi CB008,
I was there and the test frame "supposedly" did the trick she started laying about a week later! Fingers crossed for you! I have another colony which has just started and with Ivy in my area I remain hopeful that they will get it together before the very cold weather! Make sure that you have got everything else right, because they clearly haven't!

 

[REDWOOD]

Sods Law
If your colony was going through supersedure before MAQS it would have been advisable to hold off treating with anything (leave well alone). four weeks is longer than average for her to start laying however longer periods have been know

 

[sharonh]

I had a hive where the queen failed mid summer so I combined with another with a young laying queen. All went well until September 7 when I noticed some supersedure cells. Assuming the bees know best I let them get on with it.
My concern is that since then I have seen no eggs. I assumed that she had gone off lay owing to MAQ treatment but as they were still no eggs this Saturday I put in a test frame. I had a quick peek today and found no QCs. Had there been some I would have knocked them down and united with a NUC I have. Now I am unsure whether they have an unfertile Queen so will not produce QC's and in which case they will not last the winter. If the weather was good I would rip this double brood apart and find the queen but this is not an option with this poor weather now.
I am unsure how best t to proceed and would welcome advice

Ok, you put test frame in Saturday, and looked today.
When did you finish your treatment?
Have you feed syrup?
Have you checked that your new Queen has space to lay?
Some times new Queens won't start to lay until all brood from previous Queen has emerged.
Treatment also can hold the Queen up from laying.
How is the temperament of the colony?
Providing all is well with the Queen, she should start to lay again once she has room to do so.
Queens can slow down their rate of lay this time of the year anyway.
I would have left test frame for a week, then a very quick check.
I know it's a worry, now that weather is starting to change.
If she was a healthy laying Queen you introduced, they will sort themselves out.
Some times it's best to let them be,especially this time of the year.
Opening and closing hives can cause more stress to them. They also end up having to do more work ,trying to glue up everything before the cold sets in.
If it was my colony, I would leave them alone now, the bees know what their doing.
Their around ,and surviving a lot longer than us humans
Regards
Sharon

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

What a helpful reply, sharonh.

Thank you.


Dusty