Queen-less swarm

[ratty4moley]

Caught a swarm the other week and all is fine with them, the queen is producing brood…….Now my concern, I caught a another swarm the other day all stayed-put in hive but now cannot see a queen or any evidence of her, except that I presume that she was there and left her 'scent' as swarm happy to stay in hive. My question is, if I was to remove a frame with eggs, uncapped and capped brood (with bees removed) from another hive and add it to this second swarm would that save the swarm??

 

[Magwat]

How long ago was 'the other day'?
It is very likely that there is a virgin in there - has there been the time and weather for her to mate and start laying? If not then give them a chance before fiddling.
It wouldn't do any harm putting in a frame with eggs and if they don't have a queen they may draw queen cells.

 

[ratty4moley]

Today would be the 5th day.

 

[JWF]

You need to wait for a bit - if there's a virgin in there she needs time to get mated. Have you had nice weather since you caught the swarm?

Putting a frame of brood in won't do any harm to the swarm - but you'll be weakening the donor colony which presumably you're hoping to get some honey from?

 

[ratty4moley]

Weathers been warm and sunny but rain today. What time scale can I expect for her (if she's still there)to mate and lay??

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

One I caught in a swarm last year - three or four weeks IIRC. Now laying like a train and on three supers