Eggs???

[VixyB]

Hi,

I only started bee keeping in mid-June and then the queen swarmed in mid-July. I stayed away while they raised a new queen, which they seem to have done successfully, because there is a lot of covered brood and larvae on the frames.

I am a bit concerned though because I now have an unmarked queen and I can't see any eggs. So do I just keep watching for larvae or do I need to find someone that can come and have a check that there are eggs there? When I have inspected the hive, it has tended to be on a bright, sunny day, so not sure if that maybe makes the eggs harder to spot? I have tried looking with a magnifying glass as still can't see them.

I just don't want to panic unless I need to.

There are no signes (as of last weekend) or queen cells. There were two queen cups, but nothing insode them.

Thanks

 

[enrico]

Don't panic! I am rarely entering my hives now. The flows have finished. If there are larvae then she has been there fairly recently. Trust her
E

 

[VixyB]

If she has gone, will the bees be okay over the winter?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Without a queen the bees will slowly dwindle. I don't think winter bees are being made yet so there will be none next year. Stop worrying, I bet she is still there. Have you a beekeeper friend to look?
Like Enrico, I'm not looking in the broods regularly any more.

 

[VixyB]

I think I will find a beekeeper who might be able to come and have a look and put my mind at rest.

 

[madasafish]

If you are worried, look for polished cells. Bees polish them before teh queen starts laying.

So polished cells suggest the queen is about to lay (drones? workers? irrelevant for this test)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

lot of queens have a brood break around about now

 

[drex]

Have you ever been able to spot eggs on your own? Can be difficult at first. Hold frame up at eye level. Remember cells are normally inclined slightly upwards, so might have to tilt frame so you can see right down the bottom. Sun is best coming from over your shoulder. Magnification can help, but lighting has to be right. With no eggs there can be no larvae. Eggs for 3 days only. Relax. She is likely to be there.

 

[REDWOOD]

The best way to describe an egg is tiny strands of white cotton a mm or so long, look with the sun behind you and tilt the frame at a slight angle away from you

 

[aidskywalker]

Without being condescending, if you are starting beekeeping you really need to learn how to see eggs in cells. Saying that, if there is brood in the hive, she will be there, again, learn to look for a queen. One way I find is to not look at individual bees but slowly scan each frame and look for activity such as bees in a circle or groups of bees moving out of the way (for a queen). And more often than not she'll be in the middle of the hive rather than the edges. As for finding eggs gently blow the bees out of the way and tilt the frame towards the light, they look like tiny grains of rice, eggs will always be in the middle frames of the hive.

 

[drex]

Much smaller than grain of rice, but a nice description

 

[Dishmop]

because there is a lot of covered brood and larvae on the frames.

might be a clue..

 

[Erichalfbee]

Invest in a bright white LED torch. You'll see them then.

 

[Madge]

Without being condescending, if you are starting beekeeping you really need to learn how to see eggs in cells. ...

She is a new beekeeper, and as she can't see any eggs now, she feels uncertain about her ability to spot eggs. That's understandable and doesn't mean that she hasn't learned to see eggs.

 

[beeno]

Hi VixyB,
If you can see the small print for the side effects on any medication you might have taken or any financial small print you have been asked to sign for then you can see eggs. However, there is a knack as described above with the sun hitting the bottom of the cells. Also, depending on the stage of the brood cycle, the eggs may be re-laid in vacated cells in the middle of the frame or on top sides if she is laying well. It is a question of how to look and where to look. My initial problem as a newbie was that I did not dare to move frames away from the open hive and into the sunlight in case HM fell off it! It is always good to inspect on a nice sunny day, but this is not always possible of course. Finding eggs or finding queens we will all get there!

 

[Swarm]

Without being condescending, if you are starting beekeeping you really need to learn how to see eggs in cells.

??
Either your eyesight is good or it's not. There was a time I could spot eggs easily, not the case these days.

 

[VixyB]

I will try the idea of using an LED torch. I think I am probably just being paranoid following the recent swaming. This beekeeping business is not easy when you are very new with nobody to act as a mentor.

I started the hive late as well, so only really have just over 2 months experience. Two weeks of that I had to leave the hive alone while the new queen was hatching and mating. So 6 weeks is nothing. In a year's time, perhaps I will have something of a clue about what I am doing.

 

[beeno]

Dear VixyB,
You are having what I call your Baptism of Fire which means a very steep learning curve. You are having to do what most people are supposed to experience in year 2. You are doing very well! Lots to learn, but the forum is here for you when you need it. Just ask!

 

[Samurailord]

We are also in a similar position in that we are new Beeks with 10 weeks experience, but we are more fortunate in that we have a good friend or two who have a bit more experience as mentors.

I haven't been able to find eggs as yet, but we have plenty of BIAS so I know HM's been around quite recently, which is good enough for me.

I'm sure I will have a 'Eureka' moment when I spot my first egg

Andy

 

[VixyB]

Dear VixyB,
You are having what I call your Baptism of Fire which means a very steep learning curve. You are having to do what most people are supposed to experience in year 2. You are doing very well! Lots to learn, but the forum is here for you when you need it. Just ask!

Thank you! It sure feels like a baptism of fire! I am still loving it though!