Eggs in nuc today

[thebhoy]

Set up a 3 frame nuc on 1st bank holiday in May...several QC's in hive, attempted swarm etc (previous posts)
Had considered setting up a few mating hives initially but decided to leave them to it.
Checked today, didn't see queen but have eggs, well placed in cell and good spread.......so now it is fingers crossed time to hope she was mated and that I don't have a DLQ.....
Stores are fine so will leave them to it for another couple of weeks, if all ok might add a frame of emerging brood from each of my other two hives to help get it up and running quicker.

 

[blackie]

well done mate

 

[drstitson]

"Checked today, didn't see queen but have eggs, well placed in cell and good spread.......so now it is fingers crossed time to hope she was mated and that I don't have a DLQ....."

Less than 4 weeks from swarm. So HM is at most 3 weeks old. Allowing for her few days pottering around indoors she's managed to get mated and start laying in around a fortnight or so.

She's obviously made the most of what breaks in the weather we've had (presumably last weekend) and got mated to an extent that she feels is adequate.

DLQs are what you get at the end of fruitful life OR after a prolonged period of failure to mate.

well done. it's a good sign. relax.

 

[thebhoy]

Won't count my chickens ( or worker bees) yet.....after last years experience when I ended up with wall to wall brood, looked great and then turned out to be ALL drone

 

[drstitson]

"after last years experience when I ended up with wall to wall brood, looked great and then turned out to be ALL drone "

But how long after HM emerged did brood first appear?

 

[thebhoy]

"after last years experience when I ended up with wall to wall brood, looked great and then turned out to be ALL drone "

But how long after HM emerged did brood first appear?

About the same length of time......but then the weather was brutal....left them until capped ... She was a very 'flighty queen, each time I tried to catch her she flew off around the garden...little madam lol.
Before I could get her, after a few attempts, they decided to abscond, caught them and re-hived...but absconded again.

Hopefully this year will be better and this one will be mated successfully........

 

[mbc]

DLQs are what you get at the end of fruitful life OR after a prolonged period of failure to mate.

.

Dont want to be the voice of doom, but new queens can fail and lay drones, especially in broodless nucs where the pressure on them to start laying is intense.

 

[stuart]

Went through 1 of my hives yesterday evening.
spotted a laying worker and only drone comb.
Is this hive now doomed
or can I add a frame of eggs from a nother hive?

 

[enrico]

Went through 1 of my hives yesterday evening.
spotted a laying worker and only drone comb.
Is this hive now doomed
or can I add a frame of eggs from a nother hive?

Start a new thread with this one Stuart you will get better responses
E