I finally got my bees

[A10ECGent]

Wed night May 13th my local beek that I was getting a swarm from called to tell me that my girls were ready to be picked up. I brought them home and opened the entrance. Thurday morning I put a quart entrance feeder in, They had in nearly empty that evening. They are currently going through right at a quart a day. Sat I opened the hive just to see how they were doing, They already had seven of the frames almost completely filled with comb, This was a brand new hive with only foundation. I did not see any brood started yet. I am adding another deep today. Should the queen be laying already, or should I check again in a few days.

[Adrian Quiney WI]

If there was a mated queen in there she should be laying. If you observe the entrance and see them bringing in pollen you can be sure there are larva being fed which means the queen is laying.

[NCSUbeeKEEPER]

If you observe the entrance and see them bringing in pollen you can be sure there are larva being fed which means the queen is laying.

Not necessarily, but it is a good sign.

If it was a swarm you recieved, you should give it two weeks before you start worrying about queenlessness. Some swarms have virgin queens and will take longer start laying.

[A10ECGent]

Thanks all. I checked the hive again monday. I still don't see any brood yet, That I as a newbie can recognize, They are filling the edges of the frames with the sugar water I have been feeding and are not aggressive. So for now I'll keep waiting and watching.