Test Frame question

[Ringlander]

Hi, A couple of my smaller colonies had no eggs or larvae at the last inspection and I couldn't find the queen in either, so I popped a test frame of eggs and larvae from another colony in both. Five days later I have checked both to see if they have thrown up queen cells, but neither have, although I was very pleased to see a nice new unmarked queen strolling around in one. The odd thing is both of the test frames still have unhatched eggs present and some larvae, some of which looks to be only a day or two old. I cannot be sure but the quantity of eggs in both seems greater than when I put them in, so maybe I have a so far unseen newly laying queen in the other colony too. However, none of the other frames in either colony has any eggs or larvae on at all.
So, my question is, if I add a test frame at about the same time that a newly mated queen starts to lay will she tend to start where other eggs are already, ie: the test frame? Might it maybe act as a sort of catalyst and encourage her to start to lay? Alternatively does anyone have any thoughts on why are there still eggs present after five days? Could they have been affected/killed during transfer from one hive to another (it wasn't cold or wet when they were moved and they were only out of a hive for about 5 minutes at the most). If they are dead then why haven't the bees cleared them out of the cells?
I would appreciate your thoughts. Many Thanks, Nick

 

[Erichalfbee]

any thoughts on why are there still eggs present after five days?

Because there is a queen there

 

[jarmo henttu]

Hi, A couple of my smaller colonies had no eggs or larvae at the last inspection and I couldn't find the queen in either, so I popped a test frame of eggs and larvae from another colony in both. Five days later I have checked both to see if they have thrown up queen cells, but neither have, although I was very pleased to see a nice new unmarked queen strolling around in one. The odd thing is both of the test frames still have unhatched eggs present and some larvae, some of which looks to be only a day or two old. I cannot be sure but the quantity of eggs in both seems greater than when I put them in, so maybe I have a so far unseen newly laying queen in the other colony too. However, none of the other frames in either colony has any eggs or larvae on at all.
So, my question is, if I add a test frame at about the same time that a newly mated queen starts to lay will she tend to start where other eggs are already, ie: the test frame? Might it maybe act as a sort of catalyst and encourage her to start to lay? Alternatively does anyone have any thoughts on why are there still eggs present after five days? Could they have been affected/killed during transfer from one hive to another (it wasn't cold or wet when they were moved and they were only out of a hive for about 5 minutes at the most). If they are dead then why haven't the bees cleared them out of the cells?
I would appreciate your thoughts. Many Thanks, Nick

Long story about such thing

 

[jeff33]

Your new queen will prefer to lay in a frame which already has brood, simple!