queen cell when

[bobbb]

I put eggs in a hive that had none. how long will it be when i can tell they are building queen cells to make sure no queen present

[Clayton]

Usually in a day or two you should see cells starting.

[Michael Bush]

If there are no cell cups in two days they probably aren't going to build any. If there are none in four it's absolute. Look carefully though, the bees take a great interest in an active queen cell and it's often covered with bees to the point that you don't see it.

[Daisy]

Well Micheal, you were right about my colony making their own queen. If you recall I had ask if I should replace the queen they killed when I replaced their old queen, and you said to let them make their own.

Well I went snooping this morning inside their hive because there has been no pollen going in for a few days. But there she was......

Now, since no pollen has gone in for maybe as long as the old queen was replaced, do you think it would be a good idea to add some pollen? I mean the homemade kind.......

[Michael Bush]

If there is pollen available they tend to ignore the pollen I give them, real or otherwise. If there is none available, feeding might be in order. My guess is all the old brood has emerged and the new queen hasn't really started laying yet. It takes her a week or more to get mated and settle into laying. Then they will need the pollen and they will go find it if it's available. Here there are lots of things blooming, even if there isn't a large honey flow.