Examining your hive frames.

Be sure to check the slow progress of your hives late winter to early spring but only if the days temperature is above 50 degrees. When you go into them, you look at a few frames for the presence of a laying queen. The tell-tell sign is the unique looking 1-3 days old eggs. If you do not see this then there MIGHT BE a chance she is not present. Your quest now is to locate her among thousands of her sisters that look just like her.