Well I be danged..,

[GSF]

I noticed my package and swarm bees bringing in pollen pretty good this morning. So I go to watch the hive I put three swarm cells in last Thursday a week ago (10th). Later on today I was planning on going in to check on the q cells to see if they had hatched. As I was studying the bees looking for pollen, lo and behold, there's the queen on the entrance deck! I guess she had just got back from a mating flight or something. I didn't see her land tho. I know I'm still in rookie status, but that was a queen. Not drone, not worker, queen. She was very long and starting to fill out.

..better get back out to building equipment and watching to see if they swarm. What a hoot! That made my day.

[HomeSteadDreamer]

Congratz. 

[cdray]

Good stuff, Gary!

[GSF]

Now I'm scratching my head. I saw her again yesterday afternoon. She came out in the opening, turned around and went back in. Is this a prelude to a swarm? Or maybe just another mating flight?

[BeeMaster2]

The queen has to strengthen her muscles. Then she does orientation flights then she will make her matting flights.

[GSF]

Thanks sawdust for the tidbit, makes plenty of sense. If I didn't know any better, judging by her size, I'd say she was bred already. I don't think there's enough days in the timeline for that. Also, if she was mated she'd probably either be laying eggs or starting a new colony somewhere.

[BeeMaster2]

Thanks sawdust for the tidbit, makes plenty of sense. If I didn't know any better, judging by her size, I'd say she was bred already. I don't think there's enough days in the timeline for that. Also, if she was mated she'd probably either be laying eggs or starting a new colony somewhere.

Sounds about right.  :-D
Jim

[johng]

It will take her several days after she mates before she will start laying. Normally about 4-5days. And she may go on mating flights a couple days in a row.