Queenless swarm

[millermann1972]

   Hello , been a while fellow beeks. well i got a swarm call the other day and the guy says they have been there for two days so i go shake them in a box and they go in like allways. I let the box set there for a day and go get it at night and bring it home. i wait a day and check and no eggs and no queen so i have a extra one so i put her in and wait three days. I back in the hive again yesterday afternoon and the queen cage had dropped to the bottom with the screen facing down and now i have a laying worker. i looked at one frame and its eggs piled everywhere so i am sure i don't have a queen so i am guessing they will not except the queen that i have installed :'(. should i shake the bees away from the hive and let them come back and try the queen again or what? at a loss. Thanks for any input on my screw up :shock:

[iddee]

7 days, counting the two they were in the tree? I think that is a mighty short time for laying workers to develop. I would rather think a newly mated queen who hasn't gotten the hang of it yet. I would give them about 4 more days before shaking out.

[millermann1972]

hello iddee , the time in the tree is not really known just going by the guy i got them swarm from. the main reason i think a laying worker is the amount of eggs deposited in the cells. i mean looks like she put them in with a bazooka ,eggs every where and have read on her that was a sign. thanks for your imput i might just be overthinking lol   ps have used your trap out techniques and have had very good success!  :)

[iddee]

If there are many eggs in the bottom of the cells, it's likely a new queen. If up on the walls of the cells, it's likely laying workers.

Glad the traps are working.

[AllenF]

A week is to soon for laying workers.   A virgin queen swarm sounds like what you got.  Give her some time and she will figure it out.

[millermann1972]

well checked again this mornin and looks like yall are correct the new queen must have been miss fireing :-D. looks like she has got her stuff together and laying one egg per cell and placed perfect on the bottom  :) thanks for the imput :)