How soon is supercedure cell buillt?

[Oyster]

Earlier last week I noticed that my previously strongest hive (I have 3) was not bringing in much pollen (based on a comparison of my pollen traps). That did not seem right since a robust hive would need lots of pollen to feed the brood. On Saturday I opened this hive, and did not see any eggs, brood or capped cells, and no queen in sight. I saw several empty swarm cells, but I could not tell if they once housed queens or not.

I then transferred one brood frame each from my two other hives into this queenless hive.

How long would it take for a supersedure cell to be developed so that it is noticeable? I ask this question because Friday I will go on vacation, and if this hive fails to create a new queen, I'd like to order a new queen prior to my leaving on vacation. I plan on checking the hive Thursday afternoon, and if I do not see supersedure cells, I'll order a new queen Friday morning. Do you think five days is too soon to recognize a supersedure cell being created?

Of course, I may have missed spotting a virgin queen if one had indeed hatched from one of the swarm cells I saw, and it may not be ready to lay eggs.

Should I wait longer in the hopes that I do indeed have a new queen lurking somewhere? I don't want too wait long and then have the problem of egg-laying workers.

[Oyster]

I should have stated "emergency cells" instead of "supersedure cells"

[Michael Bush]

>How long would it take for a supersedure cell to be developed so that it is noticeable?

Two days should do.

>I plan on checking the hive Thursday afternoon, and if I do not see supersedure cells, I'll order a new queen Friday morning. Do you think five days is too soon to recognize a supersedure cell being created?

In five days it will be CAPPED.

>Of course, I may have missed spotting a virgin queen if one had indeed hatched from one of the swarm cells I saw, and it may not be ready to lay eggs.

Do you have a pollen trap on? If so, she won't be able to get back after she mates.

>Should I wait longer in the hopes that I do indeed have a new queen lurking somewhere?

Make sure they have eggs and see what occurs. I would assume, if they don't build a cell they DO have a queen.

> I don't want too wait long and then have the problem of egg-laying workers.

Then keep some open brood in it and they won't develop laying workers.

[Oyster]

"Do you have a pollen trap on? If so, she won't be able to get back after she mates."

Michael,

I use a Betterbee pollen trap that I prop open every other day. If there was a virgin queen that wanted to do its maiden flight on the day I had the screen down, I hope it found its way out and in via the drone holes. To be safe, I took off the trap and won't reinstall it until I have a queen-right hive.

Thanks