I think my hive is queenless... What should I do?

First, does your hive have eggs or larvae but no capped brood?
If so, the hive most likely has a newly installed or recently reared queen who is just beginning to lay.

If your hive has no eggs or larvae but does have capped brood, it is most likely queenless.
If there is no brood of any kind, again, the hive is likely queenless.

Here’s what to do:

• Check for queen cells. Also see “Queen Cells vs. Queen Cups” to ensure you can distinguish between:

  • Queen cells (contain developing larvae or pupae)

  • Emergency queen cups (empty)

If you still see some worker larvae and capped brood but no eggs (see Tips for Spotting Eggs & Larvae), queen cells should be present in the hive.
If you don’t see any larvae and there is little or no capped brood, a virgin queen may have already emerged.

Leave the hive alone for another week, then check back for eggs. If you still don’t see any, give the hive a frame of brood (see here to learn how) and introduce a new queen as quickly as possible.
Check out how to install a new queen.
Buy Queens Here

You can also monitor the frame of brood you gave the hive. If it contains eggs and larvae, a queenless hive will quickly start building queen cells on that frame. That’s a clear sign the hive is queenless, and you can proceed with requeening.
See also “Requeening vs. Letting Bees Raise Their Own.”

If you do see queen cells, remember: it only takes bees 12 days to raise a new queen from a 24-hour-old larva—so you don’t have much time to act.

If you already see capped queen cells, gently uncap one. If there is a fully developed white pupa inside, wipe out all queen cells you can find, and introduce a new queen within 2–3 days. Otherwise, it will be too late—new queens will begin hatching before your purchased queen can be introduced.

If you can’t get a queen that quickly, don’t destroy the cells. It’s not ideal, but it’s not the end of the world.
If the pupa is already turning brown, it’s too late—they’ll likely hatch within 1–2 days, and it’s unlikely a new queen could arrive in time. In that case, just leave them be.

However, if the queen cells are still uncapped, you’ve got time. Destroy as many as you can find, and install a new queen ASAP.

Finally, if it’s too late in the season for them to raise a queen or for you to order one, read “What If My Hive Becomes Queenless in Late Fall or Winter?”