The queen is the heart of the colony—the only bee that can lay fertilized eggs and the source of pheromones that unite the hive. Understanding your queen is essential to successful beekeeping.
Queen Anatomy & Identification
Queens look different from workers:
- Longer abdomen: Extends well past wing tips
- Pointed abdomen: Tapered for egg laying
- Larger size: Noticeably longer than workers
- Different legs: Lacks pollen baskets, different stance
- Behavior: Workers part around her, attend to her
Finding the Queen
Tips for Spotting Her
- Work calmly—chaos makes queens hide
- Start with frames near the center (brood area)
- Look for the "circle of attendants" around her
- Watch for longer body moving differently
- Check for eggs if you can't find her
👑 You Don't Always Need to See Her
Fresh eggs (standing upright in cells) mean the queen was present within 3 days. This is often enough to confirm she's there and laying.
Marking Queens
Marking makes queens much easier to find:
International Color Code
| Year Ending | Color |
|---|---|
| 1 or 6 | White |
| 2 or 7 | Yellow |
| 3 or 8 | Red |
| 4 or 9 | Green |
| 5 or 0 | Blue |
How to Mark
- Catch queen with clip catcher or pick up gently
- Hold by thorax (wings) if needed
- Apply small dot of paint to thorax
- Let dry before releasing
- Use queen marking pens or paint
Queen Pheromones
The queen produces pheromones that:
- Inhibit worker ovary development
- Suppress queen cell building
- Attract workers for attendance
- Guide drones during mating flights
- Create colony cohesion and identity
Queen Life Cycle
- Egg: 3 days (identical to worker egg)
- Larva: 5.5 days (fed only royal jelly)
- Pupa: 7.5 days (in capped queen cell)
- Emergence: Day 16
- Mating flights: Days 20-24
- Laying begins: ~Day 28
Signs of Queen Problems
- No eggs: Queen absent, failing, or virgin
- Spotty brood: Poor queen or disease
- Multiple eggs per cell: Laying workers (queenless too long)
- Drone-only brood: Failed queen (sperm depleted)
- Queen cells: Supersedure or swarm preparation
Types of Queen Cells
Swarm Cells
- Multiple cells (often 10-20)
- Usually on frame bottoms
- Colony preparing to swarm
Supersedure Cells
- Few cells (1-3)
- On face of comb
- Colony replacing failing queen
Emergency Cells
- Built from worker larvae
- On face of comb
- Queen lost unexpectedly
When to Requeen
- Queen over 2 years old
- Poor laying pattern
- Aggressive colony
- Poor honey production
- High mite levels (genetics)
- Colony not thriving
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