How long before a queen from a supercedure cell begins to lay?

[NDnewbeek]

I had a hive supercede its queen. I found the new queen for the first time on Sunday (31 May). This corresponded well to when I expected to see her after I found the first supercedure cells. How long now before she takes her mating flight and begins to lay eggs. I checked today (at least 3 days post hatching) and no eggs. Thanks.

[Sundance]

Metamorphosis of the queen bee

Egg hatches on Day 3

Larva (several moltings) Day 3 to Day 8½

Queen cell capped ~ Day 7½

Pupa ~ Day 8 until emergence

Emergence ~Day 15½ - Day 17

Nuptial Flight(s) ~Day 20 - 24

Egg Laying ~Day 23 and up


*The wild card is mating........ that can be pretty
unpredictable due to weather and wind.

[fatscher]

Nuptial Flight(s) ~Day 20 - 24

Egg Laying ~Day 23 and up




For each day it rains before she takes her nuptial flight, ADD one more day to the 23 days...

...for each day it rains DURING the days she takes her nuptial flights, ADD one more day (and pray she didn't get nailed out in the open by a fat ole raindrop.

...My queen math is far more conservative.:o I check 20 days after she's emerged from her cell (day 36!!!) ...in many cases none of her eggs at that point have hatched into larvae, meaning she just began laying within the past 2-3 days.

Last tip = keep your hive visits to an absolute minimum...the colony will blame her for your many intrusions and kill her, before she even starts laying

[NDnewbeek]

thanks much for the info. I don't intend to open the hive again for at least 3 weeks - it will be easy, I have to be out of town until the 24th!