Where do I put the queen?

[GaryMinckler]

My colonies are one deep under 2 mediums.  The deep brood chamber is all drawn foundation but most of the bees are in the two mediums above.  When I introduce new queens should I put her in the bottom deep where ther are practically no bees?  Will bees move toward her to release her from queen cage? 

[rast]

 Gary, are these hives queenless? They have to be or they will kill a new queen. To answer your question, I always requeen from the bottom box. If they are indeed queenless or you have removed the old queen for a day, they will move down to the new one when accepted.

[GaryMinckler]

Yesterdays inspection found no brood whatsoever.  I think they are queenless,  and I am dumbfounded that 3 colonies are absolutely broodless.

[Joelel]

My colonies are one deep under 2 mediums.  The deep brood chamber is all drawn foundation but most of the bees are in the two mediums above.  When I introduce new queens should I put her in the bottom deep where ther are practically no bees?  Will bees move toward her to release her from queen cage? 

Put her in the middle on a frame where the brood was and most bees are.It don't matter what body box.

[Brian D. Bray]

Yesterdays inspection found no brood whatsoever.  I think they are queenless,  and I am dumbfounded that 3 colonies are absolutely broodless.

3 hives all at the same time?  Sounds more like the bees went into a brood dearth.  Both Russians and Carnies, and bees with those genes, will often enter a voluntary brood dearth after a honey flow for 2 reasons. 
1. To conserve stores until the next flow to help insure their survival in case there is no other flow.
2. Hygenic behavior to control varroa infestations. 

Yes guys, the bees are starting to use brood dearth as a varroa control.

[Natalie]

Brian how long can they go broodless before it causes problems with the population and hive production?
I have read about caging the queen to skip a brood cycle to help control varroa and it makes sense that they would instinctively do that during a dearth too.
I have several russian and carni hives and I will keep my eye out for that, I would't want to mistake a brood dearth for queenlessness.

[Hayesbo]

Last year I had 4 hives go queenless (i thought) They were honey bound. Each had two deeps and atleast one super. I wasted money on 4 new queens and had the hive tear them up with predjudice. This year I have done better getting supers on in time for expansion.

With two supers on top of one hive body I am sure that you have room for them to work but if you are having an exceptional honey flow, they may be bound more than you would think.  Hopefully some of the more experienced beeks will help me finish this thought.

Steve

[GaryMinckler]

Hopefully I haven't wasted money buying queens.  I'll look "high and low" for a queen before introducing a new one.  I'd be happy to find one even with the money spent.  During last inspection upon finding no brood I stopped looking for queens.  I assumed...  Thanks for all the information on dearth situations.

[jdpro5010]

I would even be wondering if they swarmed and you are just waiting on the virgin to get mated.  I would not put the new queens in yet. I would wait and see what happens for a couple of weeks.

[Brian D. Bray]

Brian how long can they go broodless before it causes problems with the population and hive production?I have read about caging the queen to skip a brood cycle to help control varroa and it makes sense that they would instinctively do that during a dearth too.
I have several russian and carni hives and I will keep my eye out for that, I would't want to mistake a brood dearth for queenlessness.

As much as a month, then the bees will begin rearing brood again to sustain the population level if a nectar dearth is occurring.  If a new honey flow begins they will begin rearing brood immediately and lots of it.  Russians are less apt to become honey bound, I think that has to do with the cold springs and summers and well as sparatic flows.  They ramp up quickly to take advantage of the flows and then go back to a brood dearth as soon as it is over.

[EasternShore]

Check hives carefully...mine went into brood dearth 2 weeks ago and that was a total of 5 hives..all at the same time...

3 had queens..2 layers workers.

Tried combineing..they appear to have killed my boomer queen...the only good news is they capped  queen cell I put in there.
If your not 100% sure, put a frame with FRESH eggs in it and see if they make a queen cell...if they do, your queenless..

[GaryMinckler]

I love learning new stuff!  Only been into bees 3 years and had never heard of "brood dearth".  I will be looking very carefully for queens.   

[Michael Bush]

I'd put her wherever the brood is.

[GaryMinckler]

Thre is no brood.

[Michael Bush]

Then where the main cluster is.

[GaryMinckler]

4 queens installed at the bottom edge of main cluster and just above an empty brood chamber.   4 frames in toward the middle.