No Sign of Queen and 2 New Queen Cells

[sansabar]

We're 2 weeks into a new hive and 4 frames are covered with brood, 2 are nothing but honey and the rest seem untouched. We looked and looked and looked but were unable to find the queen (we had seen her regularly to this point) - but we did find 2 queen cells on different frames.

We're not sure what to do here. Do we immediately order a new queen or wait for these to hatch? Any other help here would be appreciated.

[Ruben]

Do you see eggs? If you want them to raise their own queen it will set them back about one month or so but they should be fine with that. If you order a queen it could still be close to two weeks to have a queen laying again. Me personally I would let them raise the ones they have started.

[Oldbee]

Just a comment: "We're two weeks into a new hive". "[we had seen her regularly to this point]". How often do you mean by "regularly"? Every other day? I know it's hard for new beekeepers to avoid checking their hives, especially if they are nearby. It is recommended [books] not to disturb the colony for at least a week or more after ascertaining that the queen has been released and excepted. You are in Georgia so maybe you can call around to find a beekeeper who will have a queen available within a few days. Good luck!

[sansabar]

We went back for a fourth time and found her! We looked for over an hour earlier and assumed with the new cells that she was gone.

What should we do with the 2 new queen cells?

[Oldbee]

Whoops! Forgot about the queen cells. That's possible too. If would just mean a few extra days; 5-9, before one of those queens would be laying eggs compared to a mated queen that you could introduce in a few days.

[sansabar]

We left them alone for the first week, other than medicating over the top of the frames once. After that we started looking almost every other day - getting everybody used to the new work and how things look. They have been real busy going through a quart of syrup every other day. We have two hives and are looking forward to the Blackberries coming in to full bloom here soon.

[Oldbee]

Hooray!! Hooray!! for you. The queen cells? Pinch them? That's not my department.

[Michael Bush]

>What should we do with the 2 new queen cells?

I'd leave them. I don't care if they want to replace the queen. Odds are it's just that they are stressed from the trip, but they may know something I don't.

[sansabar]

>What should we do with the 2 new queen cells?

I'd leave them. I don't care if they want to replace the queen. Odds are it's just that they are stressed from the trip, but they may know something I don't.

We jumped the gun. Went back this morning to check our hives as we had some terrible weather here last night. It is not queen cells, but drone cells that they are producing. Just got a little overly concerned as the weather here has been so crazy lately, few days hot, few days cold. The bees don't know if they should prepare for brood or honey! In short, all is well. Thanks for the replies.