# Attempt at fall request, what if she doesn't mate?



## Joel (Mar 3, 2005)

If you don's see remenants of queen cells and the hive is full of bees swarming is unlikely. Queens die mysteriously for many reasons. I am always surprised at the weather queens will mate in. I've had hives I were sure were doomed surpise me but less than more. Make another good check to be sure it is queenless. Are your other hives well stocked with brood? The issue with these mating's is sometimes they are not good mating's in poor conditions with few drones. We take the attitude to take our losses in the fall. We combine any well stocked queenless hives in the fall with another, weaker colony and then feed. You'll need to have a few warmer days, low 70's, for the bees to combine and organize the brood nest if you do a newspaper combine. If you get good protein patties on them by Mid February you'll have a monster in the spring, when queens are available, and you can get that lost hive back. A queenless hive going into winter is a cleanout and work in the spring if left queenless.


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## Windpath (Sep 27, 2015)

Thanks Joel, 
Yes, this is what my intuition is saying, but will hold out until she's had a chance to do the dance with whatever drones _might_ remain. It's getting cold but we often have October summer temperatures in our lucky years. Time will tell. So if I combine, I would just drop frames into other hives bees n' all (after I dispatch the new queen if she's there)?


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

There's always hope. I've got a suggestion. Might consider buying a queen from a member here. 
Here's a thread with his information.
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?317885-Mated-laying-queens-for-sale


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## Original Cookie (Aug 23, 2015)

*Re: Attempt at fall requeen, what if she doesn't mate?*

If you can get a mated queen, I just did that 2 weeks ago and she is laying well.


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

aunt betty said:


> There's always hope. I've got a suggestion. Might consider buying a queen from a member here.
> Here's a thread with his information.
> http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?317885-Mated-laying-queens-for-sale


Since the OP is in Canada is the queen seller
able to ship there? I think buying local is better
if you can find a source for that.


How to combine?

Put a layer of newspaper over your existing hive.
Then put the queen less hive on top of the newspaper.
Before putting the queen less hive on, wet a small area in the center of the newspaper and poke a small hole for communication. The bees will chew through
the newspaper when they intermingle.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

International shipping, D'oh.
Missed that.


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## Dave1958 (Mar 25, 2013)

I have a similar issue. Saw queen for first time yesterday( Oct 30). She was going about her business calmly over the frame, just as I would expect from a mated queen, not running like a virgin. However, she had no eggs, but I also wouldn't expect eggs at this time of year. Assuming she's mated, I only have to wait, but will she start laying 4 months from now having never layed


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

If you saw the queen yesterday that was on Oct. 31.
Anyways, if she is not mated then she will turn into a drone layer
queen after 4 months. Let's see if that will happen or not in the
early Spring time.


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