Timing of new QB establishing vs giving hive brood

Beekeeping - Basics
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Back again,

So after leaving the hives for the last 2 weeks I have inspected both today. My smaller hive I spotted fresh eggs but only across 2 frames and combined would cover 1/3rd of one side of a frame. No QB spotted, but no cells either and there were a good amount of bees, pollen and a crazy amount of honey stores

The 2nd and larger hive has at least trebled in size but I could see no signs of eggs and very little capped brood left. There were no signs of any supercedure or other QB cells being made. Everything looks healthy apart from no eggs visible and no visual on a QB.

So my latest Q (what I would do without this forum I have no idea!) is should I go back in there in under a week and if no eggs, move some over? I didn’t want to do it today as there was such a small amount in the other one it feels like she has only just mated and is starting out and I don’t want to put that hive at risk. Given the timing, am I putting the other hive at risk waiting a week or could it be that she too has mated but not started out yet or the numbers were so low I just missed them?

I have already requeened both and lost both to swarm (previous post) so I want to avoid that if I can

Thanks in d’avance as always!

Cheers

Craig

2

Hi Craig, I would wait another week. My reply would be to answer the question in the title of the thread. From the time I set up a split with eggs, I wait 28 days before looking for evidence of a successfully mated queen. I take a brief look for worker brood, and hopefully the first signs of brood getting sealed. I keep it brief on account that young queens are vulnerable to getting balled and killed. Therefore I don’t look for the queen, only evidence that she’s there.

I resist looking earlier than 28 days, on account that you need to spend more time looking for eggs, which makes the queen vulnerable.

I always write the date of the split, so that I know not to go in too early.

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Thx Jeff, I’ll rein my impulses in and wait it out. Appreciate your words of wisdom as always

Thank you :folded_hands:

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