Laying workers or new queen?

[Stephibee]

Hello everyone, completed a the first inspection of a swarm today. From the picture, would you say I have laying workers or the new queen is just getting used to laying? From all the cups, I assume the former but would love some other opinions.

Thanks for reading
Stephanie

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

too early to tell anything from that

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well you have single eggs......so fingers crossed.
When were they hived?

 

[Stephibee]

too early to tell anything from that

I'm hoping she's just getting used to laying. Did you see the photo? Some cells have 2 eggs, others just 1..

 

[Boston Bees]

Unless you hived them more than 3 weeks ago I think laying workers is unlikely at this stage, with a swarm.

 

[Stephibee]

Well you have single eggs......so fingers crossed.
When were they hived?

Yeah please cross everything
Hived 2nd June, I know it's a bit early to inspect really.

 

[Stephibee]

Unless you hived them more than 3 weeks ago I think laying workers is unlikely at this stage, with a swarm.

That's a relief. How long do workers usually wait before laying? Swarn collected 11 days ago.

 

[Finman]

Weathers have been good. A swarm queen uses to lay about aftert 8 days. The swarm collected 11 days ago. The shedule matches quite well. The queen may use to matings 3-4 days.

From where that worker layers came?

But many cells are not normal form. Something strange.

Strange is that the swarm has not drawn cell better in 11 days. Few cells and the rest is foundation. I cannot see any food in cells either. Are they near starving?
How big is the swarm? How many frames the bees cover?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It may be it was a prime swarm, the multiple eggs may be down to the fact that they are not drawing comb fast enough for her to have room to lay

 

[Stephibee]

It may be it was a prime swarm, the multiple eggs may be down to the fact that they are not drawing comb fast enough for her to have room to lay

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense. The swarm was huge so I was (at the time of collecting, now I'm questioning myself) quite sure that it was a prime.
Thank you!

 

[Stephibee]

Weathers have been good. A swarm queen uses to lay about aftert 8 days. The swarm collected 11 days ago. The shedule matches quite well. The queen may use to matings 3-4 days.

From where that worker layers came?

But many cells are not normal form. Something strange.

Strange is that the swarm has not drawn cell better in 11 days. Few cells and the rest is foundation. I cannot see any food in cells either. Are they near starving?
How big is the swarm? How many frames the bees cover?

Thanks for your reply. Which cells are not normal form? I should mention there is another frame with both sides drawn out well. They are collecting pollen and honey which can be seen on other frames.
It was a very large swarm but the collection was difficult and some bees did not make it (they were in a very dirty public bin). The bees currentky cover around 3 frames.

The idea of workers is due to multiple eggs in one cell. What do you think?

 

[Finman]

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense. The swarm was huge so I was (at the time of collecting, now I'm questioning myself) quite sure that it was a prime.
Thank you!

The swarm was huge but where is the gang now? The drawing of foundation does not support the view of huge colony. Has the main part absconded or devided? Where are their 11 days honey cells?

 

[Finman]

Thanks for your reply. Which cells are not normal form? I should mention there is another frame with both sides drawn out well. They are collecting pollen and honey which can be seen on other frames.
It was a very large swarm but the collection was difficult and some bees did not make it (they were in a very dirty public bin). The bees currentky cover around 3 frames.

The idea of workers is due to multiple eggs in one cell. What do you think?

Perhaps good idea, but it gives a wrong picture from the colony. However 3 frame swarm/colony is almost minimum.

The Best view you see from the middle frame, how things are in the hive. And perhaps you see there the laying fat queen.

How much the other two combs have been drawn and how much other combs have eggs or larvae?

If the colony had settled down into the bin, have the most of bees returned to the bin.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense. The swarm was huge

Doesn't always mean it's a prime - many make that beginner's mistake

 

[Stephibee]

The swarm was huge but where is the gang now? The drawing of foundation does not support the view of huge colony. Has the main part absconded or devided? Where are their 11 days honey cells?

Sorry I should have taken more pictures, this was the last frame with any comb and that's when I got the camera out. They have fully drawn 1 frame, both sides, and have 2 frames like this one. They have pollen and honey on the other frames. Nothing has been capped. They are in a nuc and active on all frames but filling 3 tightly with ease.

 

[Finman]

Sorry I should have taken more pictures, this was the last frame with any comb and that's when I got the camera out. They have fully drawn 1 frame, both sides, and have 2 frames like this one. They have pollen and honey on the other frames. Nothing has been capped. They are in a nuc and active on all frames but filling 3 tightly with ease.

That sounds normal.
The gang is small and they cannot do better.

A swarm starts their colony from beside of box wall and the queen is normally on the frame beside the wall.

 

[hemo]

Initially I would say if the brood pattern (in this case the egg laying) in the cells is of uniform pattern then not L/W's, tbh though one will have to wait until the tenth day to see.

I picked up a small swarm 5 - 6 weeks ago and they have no Q, I suspected at the time it may have been a remnant of a larger swarm as it had been raining and an inkling just said to me something wasn't as it seemed.
Drone brood from L/W's in a haphazard pattern, they will be shaken out soon.

 

[Stephibee]

Initially I would say if the brood pattern (in this case the egg laying) in the cells is of uniform pattern then not L/W's, tbh though one will have to wait until the tenth day to see.

I picked up a small swarm 5 - 6 weeks ago and they have no Q, I suspected at the time it may have been a remnant of a larger swarm as it had been raining and an inkling just said to me something wasn't as it seemed.
Drone brood from L/W's in a haphazard pattern, they will be shaken out soon.

Thank you for your knowledge and advice. I really appreciate it!

 

[Stephibee]

Perhaps good idea, but it gives a wrong picture from the colony. However 3 frame swarm/colony is almost minimum.

The Best view you see from the middle frame, how things are in the hive. And perhaps you see there the laying fat queen.

How much the other two combs have been drawn and how much other combs have eggs or larvae?

If the colony had settled down into the bin, have the most of bees returned to the bin.

The following day a number of bees were back at the bin. A local experienced bee keeper told me they were not the same, but a cast from another swarm. I am unsure of this coincidence but any who, scooped up the bees into a second nuc and placed it near the first. The second swarm absconded and did not return to the bin again.

The other comb has been drawn well, but only eggs, no larvae. They are mostly collecting pollen rather than honey too.

 

[Michael Palmer]

Are there multiple eggs in the queen cups?