Beware of simple anecdotal responses re laying and stores or presence of eggs/larvae. Without proof., these are only isolated observations which are likely unconnected with a queen starting to lay.
Yes, in exceptional circumstances, the queen will not commence laying if the colony is simply too small or at the point of starvation. But she may well have started to lay despite the other attentions of the beekeeper.
Queens are generally laying just a few days after mating (usually before four?). If the colony is exceedingly strong, the necessity for the queen to be laying may be reduced, but it will be the workers who determine the lay rate (if stores are being used up rather quickly, they may delay the onset of further brooding).
Bees generally know what they are doing. They will not normally put the colony at risk more than necessary. In a phrase ' bees know best'.
I have opened colonies in spring and found some are brooding whereas some may not be. Adding some stimulation (thin syrup feed) may encourage brooding - an expected outcome in most cases. But that is a different scenario to summer requeening of one sort or another.
No amount of feeding/adding brood will start a virgin into lay. She will not start laying until she is a) no longer a virgin or b) past the point where mating can be an alternative! Any reports otherwise are anecdotal and not proven. Beekeepers should be avoiding starvation scenarios. As for adding open brood - you think of the likelihood. I think it is all in the mind of the beekeeper!
Yes, in exceptional circumstances, the queen will not commence laying if the colony is simply too small or at the point of starvation. But she may well have started to lay despite the other attentions of the beekeeper.
Queens are generally laying just a few days after mating (usually before four?). If the colony is exceedingly strong, the necessity for the queen to be laying may be reduced, but it will be the workers who determine the lay rate (if stores are being used up rather quickly, they may delay the onset of further brooding).
Bees generally know what they are doing. They will not normally put the colony at risk more than necessary. In a phrase ' bees know best'.
I have opened colonies in spring and found some are brooding whereas some may not be. Adding some stimulation (thin syrup feed) may encourage brooding - an expected outcome in most cases. But that is a different scenario to summer requeening of one sort or another.
No amount of feeding/adding brood will start a virgin into lay. She will not start laying until she is a) no longer a virgin or b) past the point where mating can be an alternative! Any reports otherwise are anecdotal and not proven. Beekeepers should be avoiding starvation scenarios. As for adding open brood - you think of the likelihood. I think it is all in the mind of the beekeeper!
