What should be monitored closely in a queenless hive?

In a queenless hive, it is crucial to closely monitor the introduction of a new queen because her presence is essential for the hive's stability and productivity. When a hive loses its queen, it will experience a disruption in reproductive functions, leading to potential issues such as a decline in the population and a lack of necessary brood development.

Introducing a new queen can help to restore order and ensure that the hive can start raising new brood. However, the process needs careful management, including ensuring the new queen is accepted by the worker bees. Signs of acceptance or rejection can vary significantly, and beekeepers must intervene if issues arise.

Monitoring the behavior of the worker bees, as well as the overall health and population dynamics within the hive, is also important, but the introduction and acceptance of the new queen is particularly critical to the hive’s recovery and long-term viability.