[Peej]

Hi all,

I installed two packages of bees 13 days ago. One hive looks great - building out comb, has eggs, larvae, and capped brood. The other I spotted something that I wasn't sure of how to proceed.

Image reference here: https://imgur.com/RKxrDEk

I didn't spot the queen and there aren't any larvae or capped brood. However, there are a few cells where there are two eggs instead of one, but never more than two. There's also that empty cup below. At first I assumed that the colony had superseded the queen I installed, but they haven't been in the hive long enough to have hatched a new queen and the cups are empty. There were 3 of those cups in the hive.

Any ideas on what's happening here? They've been foraging and eating the simple syrup I've been providing.

 

[JWPalmer]

My best guess would be a newly mated queen that has not found her rhythm yet. Not uncommon for a fresh queen to lay more than one egg in a cell during the first week or so. The single eggs look properly placed so I would not be too worried, yet. Let the cells get capped and make sure they are actually worker brood and not the raised cappings of drone brood.

 

[Peej]

This is the kind of thing I was hoping for! This being her first week when she's still figuring things out is my hypothesis that aligns best to my install timeline as well.

Thanks!

 

[JWPalmer]

Please keep us updated. Truth is, the only way I can think of for this to be occuring is if you got a virgin queen in your package. It happens, but is not real common and it does fit the timeline perfectly. Normally, the queen should already have been mated and laying prior to being placed in a package. Just like the one in your other hive. Either way, you will know the answer by next weekend when the cells get capped. Worst case scenario is that you will learn how to fix a laying worker hive, although I doubt it will come to that.

 

[RayMarler]

I think the package is queenless and has just started laying worker and in a desparate attempt to become queen right is trying to make queen cells from laying worker larva.
I would destroy cells and give a good frame of eggs or give them a good laying queen.
Just what i think from my own experience but I am not there to inspect with my own eyes. Best of luck to you.