Howdy folk's, I had a hive swarm on the 14th of this month(almost 2 weeks ago) and I was wondering when I should be able to find evidence that a new queen has been mated and is activly laying? is 2 weeks to soon, maybe three?
This close to the major nectar flow for our area should I consider equalizing the swarmed hive from another hive I have that has not swarmed? Thank's, Brad
I would give it a little longer. Are they calm when you work them? What do you mean by equalizing the hives? If you want to boost the numbers of the swarm hive, you could give them a frame of brood/eggs from your other hive. No only would it boost the numbers but if they are in fact queenless, they will have resources to make a new queen. If you want to further boost the numbers, swap places with the two hives. The foraging bees from the strong hive will return to the swarm hive.
Good luck,
Steve
Two weeks is about the earliest I'd expect to find eggs. Three wouldn't surprise me. Longer would be suspicious. A frame of eggs is always good insurance.
They had what appeared to be supercedure cells on the frames at the time of the swarm. Brad
That's what I mean by equalizing. Taking a frame or 2 of brood from the hive that hasn't swarmed and trading them for empty frames from the hive that did swarm. Brad