Frames of eggs

[mark s]

Hi all
I need to transport a couple of frames eggs from my strong hives too two of my swarms as both queens seem to have failed too come back, its been nearly 3and a half weeks now and several checks have not turned up a queen ir eggs, what would be the best eay to transpot them? Simply put in a poly nuc ?
Thanks

 

[Tom Bick]

It sounds as though you are talking about cast swarms?
If a cast swarm then I would start to worry after four weeks.
A test frame will do no harm other than remove brood from the donor hive and I have in the past transported frames lightly wrapped in an ever so damp warm towel but your poly nuc should be fine for what I assume will be a short journey.

 

[enrico]

As Tom, be a little patient, the queens from casts need a while to get going, the first patch of eggs is difficult to find when you don't even know which frame they might be on! But.... A frame of eggs won't do any harm if you have other strong colonies so no problem in a polynuc.
E

 

[ratcatcher]

I did a split with a newly hatch queen back on 17th may, all looked bad so on 7th june I added a test frame, on checking on 14th, we had eggs and brood on different frames, proving we need to give them time, and not expect things to happen yesterday

 

[Fatbee]

I always find I expect eggs a week before they appear despite thinking I do my calculations correctly! I agree patience is a virtue, or do my method of worrying for a week or so about how to correct the potential queenless hive then get elation when eggs appear!
It's not beekeeping unless you to and fro between despair and joy!

 

[beecology]

As with Fatbee and Ratcatcher - just experienced the same thing and was just in the process of getting a new queen when she burst into life and layed up three frames in a few days, this after about 3 1/2 weeks

 

[mark s]

Ok thanks all
iIll leave till my next inspection on sat and decide then, ive got very strong hives that will donate some frames so no problem there

 

[YorkshireBees]

I've found in the past that when you think your hive is Q- waiting for a newly mated Q to start laying and add a frame of eggs it can sometimes spur them on to start laying.

Personally I don't bother now and leave them alone until either the Q comes into lay or it really is too long.

 

[alldigging]

Personally I don't bother now and leave them alone until either the Q comes into lay or it really is too long.

How long do you think is too long?

 

[steve56616]

I was impatient thinking I had a Q- hive as the past 4 weeks nothing and very grouchy bees. Ordered a queen and went to put her in... guess what I found? and few eggs - first thought were my eyes playing tricks, then walked across a queen. Made a small split for the new queen while swearing for wasting my money