How quick can queen start laying?

Sutty · Jun 20, 2024

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?

jenkinsbrynmair · Jun 20, 2024

I've had one mating within days of emergence and laying not long after that

jarmo henttu · Jun 21, 2024

Sutty said:
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?

Virgin queen is ripe to mate at 7 days old.

Swarm virgin is inside the queen cell 2 days when she waits that the second swarm leaves. Swarm virgins are ready to fly when they emerge from the cell. After swarm may have several queens.

Normal queen is ready lay after 10 days from emerhing. The queen needs 1-3 days for mating.