Trouble Finding Evidence of Queen

[naturegrl22]

I'm a fairly new beekeeper. This will be my second year. Unfortunately, I haven't been very successful. I had two hives going last year and one died during the winter becase they weren't strong enough and the second hive died early spring because the queen had died and I was too late to realize it. So I started fresh this spring with the old frames. The first hive had combs filled with honey, while the second hive just had already made comb.

I installed the new bees about a week ago and checked on them yesterday only to discover both hives had no new brood that I could see. They were busy drinking syrup water and bringing in pollen, but I could not find evidence of the queen anywhere. Are there any circumstances where the queen waits a little while to start laying eggs, like when the bees are cleaning out the old frames, or did I just get extremely unlucky and have both queens die?

Thanks for your help with this!

[Chef Isaac]

How good (or bad) are your eyes? Sometimes it is hard to see eggs.

[iddee]

I would give them 15 days from installing before panicking. If nothing is visible by then, you may want to order a couple queens.

[BeeAware]

If your queens are marked, they will be easier to locate. Eggs are easier to see if you hold the frame up with the sun shining into the cells from your back.

I had two packages last spring where the queen did not lay for about 2 weeks, then one of them laid two or three eggs in each cell for a few days. Then she finally got with it and did a good job laying a nice pattern. Don't give up just yet. Good luck.

[Oldbee]

"I'm a fairly new beekeeper. This will be my second year. Unfortunately,....."

Are you aware of the Rock County WI. Beekeepers? A nice group-- helpful; meets once a month.

They are on this list. www.wihoney.com/LocalBeeClubs.html Also, our cool weather may be a factor; lows around 40 F. and highs rarely above 60 F. on average.

[Michael Bush]

I've often seen it take two weeks from when they are released for a banked queen to start laying again. After that I'd panic.

[naturegrl22]

Thanks for everyone's help! I was looking on a cloudy day, so maybe it was a little hard to see the eggs. I just remember last year checking on them after a week or so and seeing tons of eggs. I won't start panicking for a few more days.

I am aware of the Rock County Bee Club, but it always happened that when they had their meetings I was out of town. My goal is to go to more this year.

Thanks again!

[brooksbeefarm]

I agree with the others one week is to soon,but if workers are bringing in pollen, I!ll bet she!s there.