What typically occurs if you introduce a newly mated queen into a colony with laying workers?

Introducing a newly mated queen into a colony with laying workers often leads to the workers attacking her. This aggressive behavior stems from the fact that laying workers have taken over reproductive roles in the absence of a queen. They exhibit dominance and show hostility towards any new queen introduced into their midst, viewing her as a threat to the established order.

In this situation, the laying workers are programmed to perceive only their own eggs or larvae as legitimate, and they are not willing to accept the new queen. This dynamic creates a conflict where the colony rejects the foreign queen, and potentially harms her during the introduction process.

Understanding this reaction is crucial for beekeepers, as it highlights the challenges of requeening a colony that has lost its queen and allowed laying workers to dominate, reinforcing the importance of addressing the underlying issues of queen loss before introducing a new queen.