Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => NATURAL & ORGANIC BEEKEEPING METHODS => Topic started by: TheNewBeekeeper on June 08, 2013, 08:47:36 pm
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I just got bees and am trying to use organic methods for the one hive I have so far, I hope to expand. I have a top bar hive.
I checked on the bees three days after I installed them, the queen was out of her queen cage. But, I could Not find her. I waited to see if she would lay, five days later I found some queen cells they are working on. There were some cells with more than one egg in it, some even on the pollen stores but most where normal looking and only had one egg in it. I did notice that there wasn't that much wax made yet and the some that was made had nectar and pollen in it, also she is a new queen, but I can't find her. I am wondering if there is any chance the queen is still alive. Everything looks great other than that, they are active at the entrance and are collecting nectar and pollen. What should I do?
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Leave them alone for about a week. It is possible to inspect a hive out kilter. meaning disturbing them to much unnecessarily is not good.
If they have eggs and no queen they will make one, if it is not worker eggs. I think too many are jumping prematurely about egg laying workers. It is unlikely that will happen in one or two weeks. I had a colony queen less for "42" days once, no workers developed laying capabilities. :) d2
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I agree with don, give them more time. The package queen could be a virgin and needs to be mated.
Steve