Integrating a New Queen into the colony.

Pheromonal Signalling and Introduction

The new queen begins producing queen mandibular pheromone (QMP) shortly after emerging. This chemical "signature" tells the colony she is fertile and capable of laying eggs. Worker bees detect this pheromone through their antennae. If her pheromone is strong and consistent, workers begin to accept her as their new queen. They surround her, groom her, feed her, and begin to tend to her needs—a behaviour known as the “retinue” response.

Behavioural Cues of Acceptance

At first, some workers may act cautiously, even aggressively. If the colony recently lost a queen or had a weak one, workers may be on high alert. However, if the new queen behaves confidently—walking purposefully, sending out pheromones, and not fleeing—the colony often accepts her. If there is no other queen present, and if she shows signs of being a strong

reproductive leader, acceptance usually occurs within a few hours to a couple of days.

Egg Laying Begins

Once fully accepted, the queen will start laying eggs in the brood comb. This action is crucial. The colony watches for her ability to lay a consistent pattern of fertilized eggs. A solid laying pattern (one egg per cell, little empty space) signals that she is fertile and productive—further reinforcing acceptance.

Rejection and Replacement Risks

However, if her pheromones are weak, she hesitates, or she is injured or infertile, workers may reject her—chasing, biting, or balling her (surrounding and overheating her until she dies). In that case, they may attempt to raise another queen from a young brood or remain queenless if no suitable larvae are available.

To wrap up, a new queen is accepted when she emits strong pheromones, behaves confidently, and proves her reproductive abilities. Her acceptance is vital to the colony’s future, and the workers will rally around a capable queen to ensure their hive continues to thrive.

Queen mating and Longevity

A newly crowned queen will, after several days, fly out to a designated drone congregation area—an invisible aerial zone where thousands of drones gather in hopes of mating. During this nuptial flight, the queen mates mid-air with multiple drones—typically 10 to 20—to collect enough sperm to fertilise eggs for the rest of her life. After mating, the drones die. The queen returns to the hive with the genetic future of the colony stored inside her.

Normally, this is the only time she ever leaves the hive. From then on, she stays inside, laying up to 1,500 eggs per day during peak seasons. Her reign can last anywhere from two to five years. When she becomes less productive or begins to fail, the cycle begins anew—workers quietly prepare to raise her successor.

The queen is the heart of the hive. Without her, there is no colony. Understanding her life helps us appreciate the complex and awe-inspiring dynamics that keep a bee colony thriving.