No queen? Can't see eggs or larvae.

Buzbee · Jul 15, 2015

Hello all,

We have a swarm that we caught it garden, we believed we had the queen as the swarm was successfully put into the hive. The bees are building honey comb and there is lots of honey, however, we are now unsure what has happened to the queen as after 3 weeks we do not have any eggs/larvae that we can see. What would you advise please? Should we get another queen and if so what sort?

Thank you for your time.

Kindest regards,
Julie

oliver90owner · Jul 15, 2015

If those bees followed the queen into the swarm collection box, she was there.

She is likely still there unless your manipulations have caused her demise.

Guessing this is a cast swarm, or the queen should have been laying after only a couple days or so.

The weather has generally been good enough for mating over the last three weeks. You might have seen some polished cells - readied for laying - at your last inspection.

You should not be disturbing the colony unnecessarily as you may disrupt the mating flights. I would give it another week before any precipitate decisions. The resident queen would need to be removed if you requeen. At the same time, you would expect a predictable temperament and good laying queen, if sourced from someone like Hivemaker.

You don't say how big this swarm was, but guessing it was big enough to support brood. The last alternative might be she is nosemic and may never lay.

RAB

You might delete your duplicate post?

jenkinsbrynmair · Jul 15, 2015

Wow RAB, you're in here! I thought I'd clicked the wrong button for a minute

Common sense will prevail :hurray:

Obee1 · Jul 15, 2015

Admin must have removed the RAB excluder or it has a hole in it and RAB is skinny enough to slip through. :icon_204-2:

Erichalfbee · Jul 16, 2015

Hoo ...........Bl***y Ray!!!!!!!!!

beeno · Jul 16, 2015

Hi Julie,
It would appear this is your first attempt at beekeeping. If so, it is extremely difficult to see white eggs and small pearly white larvae against newly drawn white comb. Often the brood is not spotted until it's capped and then sometimes confused with capped honey. So waiting another week is beneficial for all. I hope there is not a queen excluder left on! Fingers crossed for brood next week. Enjoy.