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APPENDIX B: TROUBLESHOOTING <br /> QUEEN PROBLEMS <br /> The queen bee is the most important member of a colony. If something happens to her and she is not <br /> successfully replaced by the bees or beekeeper, the colony will fail.As a beekeeper, it is important to <br /> recognize when to intervene and when it is better to let the bees fix the problem without intervention. Figuring <br /> this out can be difficult even for experienced beekeepers, which is why it is common for beekeepers to talk <br /> about queen "problems," "issues," or queens "failing." Having a mentor is invaluable as you learn to identify <br /> and resolve queen problems. <br /> Queen bee problems can come in a number of forms. You may have purchased a package of bees, <br /> introduced the queen and observed her laying eggs beautifully for a few weeks, but then "all of the sudden" <br /> you see queen cells and no eggs. You may have a strong colony that survived winter and "all of the sudden" <br /> they swarm. You may have a queen that over time lays only drone-destined eggs. Or you may have a colony <br /> that has been without a queen ("queenless") so long that some of the workers start laying unfertilized eggs. <br /> The hard truth is that queen issues actually may be due to an inadvertent action by the beekeeper, or to some <br /> other problem within the colony. Queens often get blamed for circumstances out of their control. <br /> There are also issues that stem from the physiology and health of the queen herself. It used to be that many <br /> queen bees lived 2-4 years. If a queen was marked with a dab of paint on her thorax, she could be found <br /> with the same mark after several years. However, many beekeepers say that this is no longer common as <br /> queens are not living as long as they used to, and no one knows why. Researchers are trying to solve the <br /> mystery by investigating the effects of pathogens, pesticide residues (from the environment and products <br /> used by beekeepers to control varroa mites), and other stressors like exposure to extreme temperatures. Until <br /> we understand the root of the problem, it's best for every beekeeper to become familiar with ways to provide <br /> tender loving care to the most important female in your colony. <br /> IS YOUR COLONY QUEENRIGHT? <br /> Checklist <br /> Queenright is the beekeeping term for a colony that has an apparently healthy queen. To figure out if your <br /> colony is queenright, it is best to think through this checklist: <br /> 1. What season is it? Queens start laying eggs in late winter and ramp up egg laying when flowers <br /> bloom in late April and May. They continue to lay eggs all summer, but beginning in late September <br /> and into October, queens stop laying eggs for the winter. The colony will still be queenright but you <br /> may not find any eggs in late fall. <br /> 2.Are there eggs? If a comb within the brood nest looks empty upon first glance, check a little closer to <br /> see if there are actually eggs in the cells. Adjust the frame so the sun shines down into the cells. This <br /> is easiest if the sun is shining on your back. If you see one egg per cell in worker-diameter cells, then <br /> the queen is somewhere in the colony. Sometimes it takes a while to see the small egg at the bottom <br /> of the cell, but once you see eggs, you will always recognize them. One way to find eggs is to let your <br /> eye scan over cells that contain small larvae.As your eye moves toward the edge of the comb, when <br /> you stop seeing larvae, the cells next to them will likely contain eggs.Another tried-and-true way to find <br /> eggs is to have a keen-eyed person (children are great at this) look for you. If you see older larvae and <br /> S pupae, but no eggs, the colony may not be queenright. Search other combs within the brood nest for <br /> eggs to confirm. <br /> If you can't find eggs and think your colony is queenless, you may or may not be right. Before you <br /> Beekeeping in Northern Climates 75 <br />