No Queen This Week?

[benaghbees]

Novice question: I found and marked a the new queen (created by the colony) in my nuc split last weekend. Released her back into hive after marking. All seemed well. Checked today and no sign of her or of eggs. Could she be out getting mated (Inspection at 2.00pm)? Hope that's not a silly question! I have placed a frame of eggs from another hive in this nut to help me check - i"ll look in 3/4 days. If the queen is gone would i be better of uniting with another smallish Q+ nut that i have. This is my first year as a beek so all suggestions welcome.

 

[beeno]

Hi benaghbees,
You should not mark queens until she has started to lay is the conventional wisdom. You may as well wait another week, just in case she is there getting mated!

 

[benaghbees]

Thanks Beeno. Just for my own knowledge - would she be out on a mating flight and simply not in the hive at that time.

 

[enrico]

Patience. She has a lot to learn as long as the marking has not interrupted her mating! You knew you had a queen, you knew she needed to be mated, you knew this may take a while so why go through the hive. You could have left it until she was firing on all cylinders! No criticism but this is a good way to learn!
E

 

[MJBee]

IMHO it is not a good idea to mark virgin queens. I always leave mine unmarked until they have mated, started laying and produced sealed worker brood. By that time you can assess their laying pattern.

After actually marking the Queen I keep her caged and safe from her workers for a few minutes until the "paint" is completely dry. When she is released I again watch her on the frame to make sure the workers do not attack her.

To answer your question - she may have been out on a mating flight, Your"test frame" will tell you whether the nuc is queenless. If it is I would unite.