How long for new queen to mate?

[Drone]

Happy Spring everybody!

I had a surprise swarm 2 weeks ago. The only way that I even knew that they swarmed was the dead queen I found in front of the hive. I inspected the hive and found a queen, a capped queen cell, and of course the dead queen which looked like a baby with a lot of hair on her thorax.

So I inspect the hive again yesterday, and I see the queen again, just walking around, doing queen stuff, but no eggs or brood anywhere. Plenty of drones around also.

Now, it has been cold, rainy and overcast for the last few weeks, with a few nice days here and there. But 2 weeks? Isn't that plenty of time to get on with it and start laying?

So how long is too long?  At what point do I need to take some action?

I don't have any more hives to steal brood from right now, but I'm picking up 2 nuc's tomorrow and 2 more on Tuesday. I guess I just have to be patient.

Thanks!

[Michael Bush]

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesqueenrearing.htm#calendar
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmath.htm
About two weeks after she emerges.