apologies for a very elementary question

[Cuckmere couple]

how soon can a q cell be capped?

if capped on day 9 from egg, can it be capped on day 6 if from a 3 day old egg

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

......which makes it day 9, although, for a queen larva the cell is sealed on day 71/2 to 8

It is always best to start the 'day count' from the time an egg is laid, saves confusion

 

[Cuckmere couple]

a friend did an inspection and reckoned he destroyed all q cups....5 days later, two sealed q cells

i guess im wondeirng, did he miss them or, could the bees have picked up 4 day old egg/larvae and capped a q cell in the remining 5? (=9)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

a friend did an inspection and reckoned he destroyed all q cups....5 days later, two sealed q cells

i guess im wondeirng, did he miss them or, could the bees have picked up 4 day old egg/larvae and capped a q cell in the remining 5? (=9)

Either - but probably the former, it's very easy to miss a queen cell in the earlier stages, but it goes to show that the head in the sand method of just tearing down queen cells and expecting them not to make more is the path of fools as they will use more mature larva if they need to thus an inspection seven days later is often too late

 

[Cuckmere couple]

agreed, thanks

 

[Murox]

how soon can a q cell be capped?

if capped on day 9 from egg, can it be capped on day 6 if from a 3 day old egg

I saw this and thought of you!

The life cycle of an Apis mellifera queen: Crucial timings to know when queen rearing

Egg - 3 days
Larva feeding - 5 days or slightly less
Metamorphosis (pupa) - 7 days or so
Emerging - 16th day or so, after egg has been laid. This can be slightly earlier.
1st orientation flight - 18th day or later
Earliest mating flight - 21st day or later
More usual mating flights - 23rd–28th day or on day 7–12 after emerging
Mating window closes - 32nd day or about 16 days after emerging
Starts laying - about 2–4 days after mating

Source: BBKA News incorporating THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL March 2014

 

[beeno]

a friend did an inspection and reckoned he destroyed all q cups....5 days later, two sealed q cells

i guess im wondeirng, did he miss them or, could the bees have picked up 4 day old egg/larvae and capped a q cell in the remining 5? (=9)

Exactly, you have got it! If you tear down QCs they will make emergency cells from one day old larvae if they can, but may use older larvae if day old larvae is not available.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I saw this and thought of you!

The life cycle of an Apis mellifera queen: Crucial timings to know when queen rearing

Egg - 3 days
Larva feeding - 5 days or slightly less
Metamorphosis (pupa) - 7 days or so
Emerging - 16th day or so, after egg has been laid. This can be slightly earlier.
1st orientation flight - 18th day or later
Earliest mating flight - 21st day or later
More usual mating flights - 23rd–28th day or on day 7–12 after emerging
Mating window closes - 32nd day or about 16 days after emerging
Starts laying - about 2–4 days after mating

Source: BBKA News incorporating THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL March 2014

They were doing well until line four, but after that................