[ChristineRVA]

About three weeks ago I did an inspection with a mentor from my local beekeeping club. I had lots of capped supercedure cells (I think 6 or 7) even though the queen was laying great. She told me that this was pretty normal for a package and that I should go ahead and order a new queen (since she didn't think my package had enough resources to raise a good queen). Anyway, on May 23 I went in and scraped out the supercedure cells. At that time I wasn't able to find the queen to kill her, but there weren't eggs or uncapped larvae so I figured she must have either died or left the hive. On May 24th my new queen arrived and I placed the cage in the hive. I know I should have come back three days later to get the cage out, but I got home after dark every day this week so I just didn't get around to it. Anyway, I just inspected my hives and removed the queen cage today. I don't see any eggs or uncapped larvae in that hive at all. I also didn't see the queen, but I'm looking more for signs that she's in there than I am looking for her.

Is it too soon to expect the new queen to be laying? My plan is to wait a few more days and go back in to see if I see any eggs or larvae. If I do, then great. If not, then I guess I'll have to try requeening again. Does that sound like a reasonable plan of action?

 

[JRG13]

It might take some time, honestly I have them laying the next day most of the time. I don't know why people say to order a new queen when you had plenty of queens right on hand but what's done is done and I'd give them a week and check for larvae.

 

[ChristineRVA]

Thanks!

 

[ChristineRVA]

So I gave it another week and checked for larvae this weekend. Practically nothing! I saw no uncapped larvae and no capped worker brood at all. I did see this one cell that looks too big to be worker brood and too small to be a queen cell. It also doesn't look like the pictures I've seen of drone brood. It has to be one of those three though so I'd appreciate it if someone with more experienced eyes would take a look.

 

[dug_6238]

...I had lots of capped supercedure cells (I think 6 or 7) even though the queen was laying great...on May 23 I went in and scraped out the supercedure cells. At that time I wasn't able to find the queen to kill her, but there weren't eggs or uncapped larvae so I figured she must have either died or left the hive...

On a side note regarding this, 6 or 7 is more than I'd expect for number of queen cells in a supercedure, although I'm sure it's not unheard of. However, many of the details that you provide make it sound like you were actually in a post-swarm scenario, not a supercedure. That number of 6-7 should be given attention next time you see that happen.

I hope the new queen gets going. A slow start is not unheard of (but is suspect after this long), but it'd be more reassuring if you could at least find her (or signs or her). Have a backup plan ready in case she's gone/toast.

 

[ChristineRVA]

Update: I took a frame with eggs from my stronger hive and gave it to this one. I'm pretty sure the queen wasn't on the frame so I think the stronger hive should be fine. Here's hoping this works!

(And I wish I had just left the original queen cells alone, but I guess sometimes you have to learn the hard way)

 

[biggraham610]

I have had them kill a caged queen after I removed qc's in the hive. Good Luck. G

 

[Michael Bush]

> Is it too soon to expect the new queen to be laying?

ttp://www.bushfarms.com/beesmath.htm

From the time she emerges she should be laying somewhere between four days later and three weeks later. Any more than three weeks and she will be a drone layer.