Map

Main concern

The colony shows no evidence of a laying queen (no eggs, larvae, or brood seen) and the colony status is marked as empty/unknown, indicating a potential loss of the queen or colony collapse.

Next inspection aim

Conduct an urgent, thorough inspection to confirm if the colony is truly queenless or if the queen has ceased laying.

What to bring

• Smoker
• Hive tool
• Clean gloves
• Record sheet or app
• Camera or phone

Step-by-step plan

1. Perform a calm and methodical inspection of all brood frames.
2. Look specifically for fresh eggs in the base of cells, which are the most reliable sign of a laying queen.
3. Inspect the hive for any signs of emergency or supersedure queen cells.
4. Assess if there are bees present and observe their behavior for signs of distress.
5. Document the findings immediately and report back to a Project Apis lead beekeeper.
6. Avoid leaving the brood area open for too long given the temperature.

Do not do

• Do not assume the colony is queen-right without visual confirmation of eggs or the queen.
• Do not perform any queen management or move frames unnecessarily.
• Do not add frames of brood from other hives without express authorisation from a lead beekeeper.
• Do not leave the hive open longer than necessary.
• Do not disturb other colonies if disease is suspected, though none is currently recorded.

Escalate if

• No eggs or larvae are found after a careful search.
• Queen cells are present.
• The colony is significantly reduced in size.
• There are signs of laying workers (multiple eggs per cell, irregular patterns).
• The colony appears aggressive or distressed.