Hypothetical question: If a queen cell hatches from a graft, away from her colony (like from someone that just breeds queens), and then that queen is released, what happens? Does she just run into some random drones for her mating flight and then go lay eggs somewhere outside a comb (since there are no nurse bees) and start a new colony? Assuming she doesn’t get eaten by a bird or something… Just curious if this is an “end of lineage” scenario or what?
Anthony Wright: In my mind, I’m thinking if there’s a reduction in honeybee population, the answer can’t be as simple as breeding and releasing virgin (or mated) queens, can it?
Jeffery Reader: She needs the colony to raise any brood. The queen is only an egg producer. Think of the colony as the organism not the individual bees.
Anthony Wright: That does make sense- so if a queen doesn’t leave a colony with a swarm then there won’t be any future for her really
Jeffery Reader: She would become the queen of that colony.
Bob Mann: Zero sum game. Without a colony of her own she is doomed. If she would come across another one that is queen right, she is doomed.
Michael Youngblood: I don’t think she can even eat on her own
Bob Mann: She can.
Michael Youngblood: Bob Mann huh ok then
Bob Mann: In the absence of attendants she will definitely feed herself and water herself, as far a actually foraging for nectar in the open, not so sure.
Bob Russell: Bob Mann is right, a virgin queen (think that’s what you’re referring to) can feed on her own. First thing she usually does is go back into the cell and eat leftover royal jelly. She’ll also eat honey from cells, if you have one running around a hive, …See more
Anna Duncan: Excellent question!
Donny Johns: They go to a colony and if there is a queen there- then either a fight to the death between her and the queen ensues or is balled by the workers or they work it out till older queen dies. I walked up to my cell builder , I keep a queen excluder on the front of it to keep strange queens or virgins out , and there was a queen trying to get in- I picked her up, caged her and put her in another hive a few days later. I have about 30 hives at home and have no idea where she came from- I did not seem to be missing a q anywhere. Anytime I have a cellbuilder that is not protected I always end up with a laying queen so I have q excluders on them . Lots of bees get eaten while outside the hive .
Jesse Hammel: The eggs need comb to grow in i think, couldnt just be strewn accross a log etc. Plus temp of the eggs as the grow etc, many other factors. Bare survival skills would kick in and the queen would eat and drink. But would dwindly away more then likely.
Jesse Hammel: But if she happened to go into a swarm box with drawn comb and the temps are perfect, “life finds a way” lol
Jeffery Reader: Queens can’t feed the brood
Jesse Hammel: Was more of a joke, but yes that is true they cant feed em
Mark Allen: Is your question what happens if I release a queen from a cell outside of a bee colony? Answer: she dies. All slightly different hypotheticals: she dies.