How long before workers will lay?

[Mountain Bee]

Does anybody have any info on how long a hive will go queenless before workers start laying?

[big joe]

took mine last year 5-6 wks. at least thats when i was sure.

[robherc]

Mine started laying on day 23 queenless on the one LW hive I've had so far (well, day 23 queenless AND broodless)

[Michael Bush]

>Does anybody have any info on how long a hive will go queenless before workers start laying?

It's broodlessness that counts. I've seen them start in as little as two weeks of no open brood. But usually they last about three or three and a half. Since it takes a little over a week to cap all the open brood that usually means if you lost a queen today you'd have laying workers in about 3 to 4 1/2 weeks. But it does not seem to be a fixed number. In some hives it happens quicker than others.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslayingworkers.htm