How to locate the queen bee
There are occasions when it is essential to locate your queen bee, but there are also instances when all that is required is an indication of her presence. Although it requires practice, scanning for a queen is a talent that is well worth practising.
It is not always necessary to locate your queen bee; there are instances when all you need to know is that she is still alive and doing well. Due to the presence of eggs, it can be deduced that she was present at some point within the past three days. The existence of larvae, also known as uncapped brood, indicates that she was present there between three and nine days ago, with the exact time varying according to the size of the larvae.
If, on the other hand, you really must locate an unmarked queen bee, there is nothing quite like a little trial and error. After you have done it a few times and learned how to seek her, you will discover that it actually becomes much simpler to find her.
At the beginning of your search, you should take off one of the outer frames. Take a short look at it, and then put it away. While you are inspecting the rest of the items, this provides you with some space to work with and reduces the likelihood that you will "roll" the queen. The discovery of your queen on an end frame is hardly uncommon, despite the fact that it is conceivable. On a frame that contains some brood, she will typically remain in close proximity to the centre of the frame.
You should slide any empty frames into the space that was left by the frame that you removed one at a time. In most cases, there are not many bees present, which makes it simple to investigate these. Maintain your forward momentum until you reach the boundary of the brood nest.
In place of honey, you will notice that the brood nest contains certain cells that are either completely full of brood or cells that have recently contained brood. This will allow you to identify the nest. Moreover, you might observe cells that are filled with pollen. Take the first of these out and carefully lift it out, then look for the queen.
The frames should be searched for the unexpected.
I do not look at individual bees while I am scanning a frame; rather, I seek something that is distinct, something that does not quite fit the pattern. Not only is the queen taller and has a pointed abdomen, but she also stands with all six of her legs spread apart.
Because the queen is able to travel rapidly, the workers will make room for her as she moves through the area. As soon as she comes to a stop, a group of them will be standing in front of her. You can frequently identify her by keeping an eye out for this conduct. On occasion, she will dart to the dark side of the frame; therefore, when you turn it over, you should scan it rapidly in order to catch her before she disappears back into the shadows.
Keep the frames in place on top of the brood boxes.
Make sure that you inspect both sides of each frame, and then replace it in the hive once you are finished. Ensure that there is a gap between the ones you have checked and the ones you have not reviewed in order to prevent the queen from readily accessing the areas that you have previously examined. It is of the utmost importance to remember to keep the frames elevated above the brood boxes. This will ensure that the queen will return to the hive in the event that she falls off.
If the initial attempt at going through the frames does not work, you have the option of going through them again; however, if the second attempt does not work either, you should give up and close the hive. After going through it twice, the hive requires some time to settle down and get back to its normal order. In the future, you can give it another shot.
