How long after a swarm do I need to worry that I have no brood?
My original hive swarmed on April 15th, April 25th, and April 30th. The three new hives all had capped brood as of May 18th but I have not seen any in the original hive. I did a quick inspection yesterday but the girls were getting agitated so I did not spend the time needed to inspect every frame.
I have two deep boxes fully drawn and a super that they have not touched yet. The top deep box is full of honey, nectar and pollen. The bottom deep is mostly empty with some honey in the corners.
Thanks
i would count from the 1st swarm because that's the one that should have had the old queen in it. this would put you over a month with no laying queen....
best way to check is to put a frame of eggs and young larvae in the hive and see if they start queen cells. i would do that now because if they really have been a month without a laying queen, you are going to have a laying worker hive pretty quick.
Thanks for the advice I will do that.
I hope I can get in this weekend the weather is right but I am working all weekend. Now for the dumb question hope for the queen cell and let them make on on there own?
>My original hive swarmed on April 15th, April 25th, and April 30th.
The queen remaining (assuming one is remaining) would have emerged around the 30th. But is also probably a few days old (they confine them during the afterswarm period) but let's assume she just emerged. That's the 30th of April. In two to three weeks she should be laying would is between the 14th and the 21st of May. If she's not laying by tomorrow, she probably isn't going to.
A frame of eggs is cheap insurance...
http://www.bushfarms.com/beespanacea.htm (http://www.bushfarms.com/beespanacea.htm)
Quote from: kathyp on May 19, 2012, 02:26:12 PM
i would count from the 1st swarm because that's the one that should have had the old queen in it. this would put you over a month with no laying queen....
best way to check is to put a frame of eggs and young larvae in the hive and see if they start queen cells. i would do that now because if they really have been a month without a laying queen, you are going to have a laying worker hive pretty quick.
What happens with laying worker hive?
http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslayingworkers.htm (http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslayingworkers.htm)