where's me queen?

[Ammerbee]

Following swarm control I kept my best cell.

On 16th (now 6 days ago) I found it was empty (seemingly the queen has emerged)

I've had a couple of hunts for her since, but no luck (got lots of bees, two supers on the go) but all the brood have now hatched and I can't see any eggs or larvae...perhaps not surprising as I suspect if the queen is ok she's not mated yet.

That said, I'm getting 'novice nerves' about this. As I have been led to believe the queen is harder to find until she has mated, but feel as if I should 'do something' - I wonder when I get to the point of merging the hive with the hive the old queen now occupies with the bees that swarmed (?)

Any advice would be helpful

thanks

 

[Millet]

From what i have read it can take several days for the Queen to mature before she goes on mating flights so get your fingers crossed for some nice weather.

 

[REDWOOD]

sit on your hands for three or four weeks, you don't want to disturb mating flights

 

[Ammerbee]

oh right - wow - thanks

 

[enrico]

On the nose. Be patient, leave them alone to do what they do best......mate. Don't expect perfect laying patterns or even perfect egg laying straight away. The queen is on a giant learning curve and she needs time to get it right.
E

 

[kevrhcfag]

Can be very hard to spot. If you get desperate to know stick a frame of eggs in from the other queen, if make QC's shes not there.

 

[dn170221]

Patience is a good thing here.
Check once a week if that and no more.
If the hive is calm that is a good sign as is seeing cells polished ready for eggs. The best is when you see a full frame of eggs laid up!!!

 

[colinc]

Similar time last year took my virgin headed colony 3 weeks for queen to start laying, I was getting twitchy at that point too.


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[Ammerbee]

much appreciated

 

[Ammerbee]

nice one thanks