What is usually found in a healthy hive confirming the presence of a queen?

The presence of visible brood in various stages is a strong indicator of a healthy queen in a hive. A functional queen is responsible for laying eggs, which develop into larvae that eventually become adult bees. When a hive contains eggs, larvae, and pupae, it reflects effective brood rearing, signifying that the queen is active and performing her primary role.

Brood development is crucial for the hive’s strength and productivity, as it ensures a continual supply of worker bees that are essential for foraging, hive maintenance, and overall colony health. The lack of visible brood would suggest problems, such as a failing queen or other issues within the colony, indicating that the hive might not be thriving as it should be.

While excess drones, multiple honey supers, and unusual hive noises may occur in a hive with a queen, they do not directly confirm her presence and health as unequivocally as the visible brood does. Excess drones can result from various factors, honey supers represent resources and not necessarily the health of the queen, and unusual sounds can be caused by many factors unrelated to the queen's productivity.