- Joined
- Mar 11, 2021
- Messages
- 2,514
- Reaction score
- 1,816
- Location
- Glossop, North Derbyshire
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 4 to 12!
I watched a colony swarm on the 14th. Examining I found a recently emerged QC and several ripe cell which I pulled leaving several virgins in the hive.
I assumed I had missed a prime swarm previously and the swarm would be headed by a virgin.
I checked them today (20th) and found eggs and the queen.
I've never known them get mated and start laying that quick!
There's a small possibility that this was the old laying queen and this was the prime swarm, she wasn't marked but the old one was, though I've been having problems with the red marker wearing off very quickly.
What's the fastest they can get mated and lay?
I assumed I had missed a prime swarm previously and the swarm would be headed by a virgin.
I checked them today (20th) and found eggs and the queen.
I've never known them get mated and start laying that quick!
There's a small possibility that this was the old laying queen and this was the prime swarm, she wasn't marked but the old one was, though I've been having problems with the red marker wearing off very quickly.
What's the fastest they can get mated and lay?