I have a hive that was queenless and made a queen and was laying. The next inpspection seemed to say she had disappeared, so I added a frame of eggs to it just in case. So, if the queen went "gone" will I probably see a queen cell in that hive today - a week later - if they used the eggs to make a queen? And if there is still no evidence of new eggs and no q celll made, should I combine it with a small, queen-right nuc I have?
If your emergency queen failed but produced some good fertilized eggs, the bees very well may produce more cells. Your bees will have mostly died of old age by the time the new one gets in gear. You would be better served to combine this hive with the nuc and give that queen a chance to lay all the eggs she is capable of not the smaller number that her small colony can care for. If that combined hive gets strong enough, split them later. A lot of summer left.
I was kinda getting that feeling. Thanks Vance.
If they start getting week, combine them. If they are not weak, I'd continue adding frames of eggs and capped brood.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmath.htm (http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmath.htm)
Wow - that's great information, Michael! I've been looking for something like that. Am sharing with my bee club - so good! Thanks!!