Originally Posted by
busybeephilip
Must say, I got quiet a few dud queens this year, some from black q cell virus and a lot more than usual were lost and many turned out to be drone layers from the start and some turned into drone layers after mating (post worker laying). i'm putting it done to the very variable weather we have had this summer. I marked my virgins after hatching for the first time so that they could be found quickly in the mini nucs, don't think that there is any correlation between drone layers/ bad matings and marking virgins but cant explain the higher than usual level of queens lost. Just hope they will be producing worker brood come spring.