Am I correct in figuring about 6 weeks before a new queen is made and laying and brood is hatching? Queen 14 days after the hive seals a queen cell which I think is about 1-2 days. Mating flights 1-5 days successful egg laying-3-5 days and workers hatching in 21 days?
3 weeks is a good measure sometimes it's more. Figure for the 1st week after hatching the new queen is in mating mode. Actually she matures for 2-3 days and then goes mating. If you don't have evidence of brood within 30 days after hatch it's time to do some investigation.
Now to really push my luck should I try (if I even get anywhere near this far) small cell foundation? I've had people say it's ok from day one and read elsewhere it takes 2-3 years to convert?
This beekeeping data is as varied as anything I've experienced.
Thanks for the help.
You can use commercial small cell if you like, it will speed up the conversion process or you can do as I did and just switch to foundationless (using starter strip of pc sticks) and let them regress more naturally. The foundationless method will take about 2-3 years. If you move the bottom brood boxes up each year, then in 3 years you have mostly small cell in the brood chamber where you want it.
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