First inspection

[coffin dodger]

Hi All,

As the swarm has now been in the hive for 16 days, we decided to carry out our first inspection and mark the queen. Every thing went well, the sun even cane out for awhile, the bees are doing well and covering seven of the brood frames, they're drawing the foundation well, the queen was found and marked, but there's no brood at all, five of the frames were about 1/3 full of capped stores but nothing else, not even a sign of the queen laying.

is this down to a duff queen, bad weather, swarm in a new hive or a mixture of all of them. whatever it is, we're going to give them another couple of weeks to see if there's any change then make our minds up which road to go down next.

Regards
Ray

 

[Poly Hive]

Cast?

PH

 

[flemage]

could be that the swarm was a caste swarm and therefore had a virgin queen in it so she could take a while to get mated and start laying. not sure of the timings of time from swarm to eggs if this were the case.

Some one will be along shortly who will know.

 

[coffin dodger]

Sorry, newbee mistake, it was a cast rather then a swarm, I'm not going to panic at the moment, just leave them to their own devices and see how it all pans out, as it's my first hive, I'm proud of them whatever they do

Regards
Ray

 

[hiveabee]

Personaly I wouldn't have marked her until you knew for certain that she was laying. But good luck with them

 

[justme]

Personaly I wouldn't have marked her until you knew for certain that she was laying. But good luck with them

But would want to see capped worker brood also;.)

 

[Cazza]

Sorry, newbee mistake, it was a cast rather then a swarm, I'm not going to panic at the moment, just leave them to their own devices and see how it all pans out, as it's my first hive, I'm proud of them whatever they do

Regards
Ray

Hurrah - a new beekeeper with some patience!!
Well done. 16 days is nothing if she is a virgin.
Cazza

 

[coffin dodger]

Personaly I wouldn't have marked her until you knew for certain that she was laying. But good luck with them

I'm probably going to regret asking but why not mark the queen ? agreed that she's not laying but now she's easier to find.

Patience, at my age it's all I've got left unless I need the loo that is

 

[MandF]

Just the idea that you dont interfere with a virgin queen - wait until she is mated, settled and laying.

No biggie though, if she gets out to mate I dont think the drones mind

 

[coffin dodger]

Just the idea that you dont interfere with a virgin queen - wait until she is mated, settled and laying.

No biggie though, if she gets out to mate I dont think the drones mind

Thank you for that, I understand now. Virgins should be in virgin mufti unless the drones have the beer goggles on.

Regards
Ray

 

[MandF]

Once she has been round the block a few times, you can do what you want with her.

You know the type...