This nuc (mentioned in an earlier post) now has a laying worker, it appears - scattered patches of brood which looks like it will be drone brood.
I gave them a frame of brood on July 12. They made queen cells which are now gone/empty. Is there any likelihood that there is a queen in the hive who is either not mated or not laying yet? I could not see a queen but of course that doesn't mean there wasn't one there... Anyone have any advice at this point? Do I give them more brood, or give up at this point an recombine them?
>I gave them a frame of brood on July 12. They made queen cells which are now gone/empty. Is there any likelihood that there is a queen in the hive who is either not mated or not laying yet?
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmath.htm
24 days +-5 days would be the 5th of August +- 5 days would be between the 1st of August (today) and the 10th of August (9 days from now).
Thanks, Michael - I miscounted so appreciate the correct numbers. I'll keep my fingers crossed!
Checked in today to find:
- no new brood, the small patches of drone brood noted last time are all capped
- bees very quiet and docile, storing lots of nectar and pollen
- no sign of a queen.
With the cessation of the laying worker, and quiet bees, I am hoping that there might be a queen present at least. I will give them till the 10th, per MB's timeline, and recombine them with the parent hive if there is no brood by then.
Well, well - at the very last minute, the nuc has a queen! Tomorrow was the day of reckoning, per MB's timetable. Looked today and saw a few cells filled with royal jelly, was thinking that the laying worker(s) might be at it again, when I spotted herself nearby. She's small and has apparently only just begun laying, but they sure seemed glad to have her on board - she was just crowded with attendants like I've never seen - up down and sideways! Now, can she get them set up for the winter...? I plan to steal another 2 frames of brood for them, and I have several frames of left-over honey that I can give them.