How much time do I have?

[knpeterson]

I will have had these bees for two weeks come Sat. (from cut-out). I have checked today and have decided that there is no queen. How long do I have to get a queen? There is a little capped brood. They all have great manners and are storing pollen and honey. Can I take a frame of brood from another hive and give it to the queenless hive? Can they create a queen from there? I hate the thought of spending fifty or sixty dollars on a queen but I will if I must.

[Fishdude123]

Yes, do give them eggs and brood. If they don't have a queen they will raise their own, if you are worried leave the attached bees when you give them the frame. If need be you can give them capped brood too.

[knpeterson]

Thanks for the quick reply, I will go and do that right now! :)

[Oldbee]

I hate the thought of spending fifty or sixty dollars on a queen but I will if I must.

Also, keep this organization and beekeepers in mind. In those southern states, they may have queens still available that you could pick up; maybe.

Missouri State Beekeepers

Ray Nabors
573-333-0258
Neal Bergman
573-888-1301
Ian Brown
314-398-5014
Larry Hensley
314-355-6935
Don Moore
573-265-8706
Milton and Pamela Wright
417-257-1770
Sharon Gibbons
314-394-5395
Glen Davis
316-229-2972
http://www.mostatebeekeepers.org/MSBAofficers.htm

[knpeterson]

Thanks Oldbee! I will save those as a great reference for the near future :) I just got done stealing a frame from my other hive to give to the queenless.

[knpeterson]

BTW, when should I check back to see if everything is going as planned?

[Oldbee]

From the egg to day 8 the larva is capped. Eight days later, day 16, the queen emerges. You could check soon after day eight to see if you have a capped queen cell. [Or sooner to see an enlarged queen cell]. Try not to disturb the hive during the time when the queen emerges; goes on mating flights and starts laying -- about 8-14 days.