Beekeeping requires an apiarist to understand the social structure of a beehive and that the most essential belongs to the queen bee. Her presence maintains the colony’s harmony and productivity. But what happens when a beehive loses its queen? This scenario presents challenges that beekeepers must address promptly to restore balance and build measures to employ when going through an actual loss.
Queenless Chaos
The loss of a queen can create turmoil within the hive. The colony's social structure suffers, and with fewer pheromones, worker bees may become disorganized and less productive. With no order in the hive, brood production decreases, and no new eggs exist.
The Emergence of Emergency Queens
Fortunately, the colony can resolve the problem of losing a queen quickly by selecting new larvae to replace the old queen potentially. They feed these larvae royal jelly to help further their development. However, this process proves competitive, and only one emerges victorious. The new queen takes over the reign of the hive, restoring order and productivity.
The Rise of Laying Workers
Worker bees may start laying eggs in a queenless hive, which only develop into drones since they can't mate. The drone surge overwhelms the hive and creates a shortage of worker bees for essential tasks, threatening the colony's survival. At the first notice of declining bee populations, beekeepers must swoop into action. They can typically do this by introducing a new queen or merging the hive with a stronger colony to restore balance.
Vulnerability to Predators
The other thing that occurs when a hive loses its queen is vulnerability to predators. The increased vulnerability means their defense weakens, and guard bees become disorganized. A queen bee’s lack of pheromones creates chaos, making it easier for threats like wasps and robbing honey bees to invade. Additionally, a declining workforce hampers the hive's ability to repair itself, creating more entry points for invaders.
A Queen Brings Unity to the Hive
Understanding what happens when a beehive loses its queen guides beekeepers in making informed decisions to protect their hives.
Create Peace With a Queen From The B Farm
If you need a new queen, consider purchasing queen bees for sale online from The B Farm. Their mission supports beekeepers of all skill levels by providing access to bees essential to starting an apiary. Their customer service team is renowned for offering valuable advice to newcomers, guiding them through buying their first queen bee and becoming a reliable source for experienced beekeepers. Let’s create a hive built for a queen bee!