My bees swarmed

[Jess132]

Hi all, I'm looking for some practical advice. I'm a new beekeeper ( started in july 11) and have taken over several hives.
Last week i conducted my routine inspection and noticed that one of the hives had all sealed brood and closed queen cells. I knew that my bees had probably swarmed, so i left one sealed queen cell and closed the hive back up. I didn't see the orginal queen who is normally visable.
Should I leave this hive for 3 weeks now or should i open it up and double check that i didn't miss anything?
Any helps useful
thanks

 

[susbees]

Do the sums and check the queen has hatched. If this failed you don't want to be waiting around. Queenless colonies can be vile.

Welcome btw

 

[enrico]

Yep, a good tip is to mark the frame with the queen cell you leave, all you have to do then is check that frame to see the condition of the cell.

 

[REDWOOD]

Mark it with a drawing pin

 

[Jess132]

Thanks guy, I'm going to open that hive up tomorrow and check to see if she's hatched, if she has, I will then leave them to it for a few weeks, if she's laying then i'll mark her, if not i'll have to introduce another queen.

Thanks for your help! Much appreciated

 

[SimonB]

I would also consider the stores position, they will still be foraging even when Q- or with a virgin queen. I left mine completely alone for nearly 3 weeks, without a super (stupidly) and when I checked for egg laying found the brood area completely honey bound. I have since put a super on, and the bees are starting to clear a space in the brood area, which seems encouraging, but still no wiser as to whether she is a layer or not as yet.

 

[Swarm]

Emerged, not hatched.

 

[susbees]

Emerged, not hatched.

Eclosed, not emerged. A bit pedantic don't you think?

 

[Jess132]

Thanks sus, I also agree that the comment 'emerged, not hatched' is a bit pedantic too. I have to say, hand heart that i've met quite a lot of really nice and helpful beekeepers however there are a few people in this game that seem to stick their nose's up at inexperienced beekeepers, which I find really frustrating. anyway...

Thanks for all your help!

 

[Skyhook]

Thanks sus, I also agree that the comment 'emerged, not hatched' is a bit pedantic too. I have to say, hand heart that i've met quite a lot of really nice and helpful beekeepers however there are a few people in this game that seem to stick their nose's up at inexperienced beekeepers, which I find really frustrating. anyway...

Thanks for all your help!

Would be pedantry if 'hatched' wasn't a word with a similar meaning. If you're trying to work out if a virgin's gone stale, and someone asks how long ago did she hatch?', it matters whether your answer refers to day 3 or day 16.

Anyway, the point I was going to make was- don't examine at the height of the day, in case the virgin is out, and you frighten her off coming back.

.

 

[oliver90owner]

Checking for further queen cells is the most important. Anything else can wait.

 

[Jess132]

Thank you