[trottet1]

last Sunday, I took a frame from my strong hive and gave it to a hive that is suspected to have a newly hatched virgin in it. I put the frame in there as insurance, just in case. I go and check today, and I see uncapped larvae. Now I look at the ol bee math chart, and it says that brood will be capped in nine days, however, It also says that if you see uncapped larvae and brood, that you had a queen 4 days ago. I guess the simple form of this question is.... If I put a frame in the weak hive, and I look at that frame today and see uncapped larvae. Is that from the queen in the original hive that I took the frame from? or did the virgin queen finally start laying?

todd

 

[Oldtimer]

Eggs hatch on the 4th day, and the larvae from those eggs are capped another 5 days later, so yes 9th day from egg being laid.

The part where you said, "It also says that if you see uncapped larvae and brood, that you had a queen 4 days ago", is either a typo or misunderstanding. If you see EGGS, you had a queen 4 days ago. Larvae are older than 4 days since you had a queen.

So, when you looked in the hive & saw larvae, if they were older larvae, and there were no eggs, you do not have a laying queen.

What you didn't mention is if the bees built queen cells on the comb. If they did, you have no queen, virgin or otherwise and so the bees are trying to make one.

 

[trottet1]

There were no queen cells on that frame. There were queen cells in this hive that were ripped open beginning of may. I was told I could expect to see eggs and/or larvae by the 22 but not sooner than the 15 th. I guess I just have to be patient and wait til mid week next week.

 

[Oldtimer]

The advice you got re dates sounds good and likely all this will work out. but there are a couple other possible scenarios although less likely. Best plan for now to cover all the bases, would be give them another frame with at least some eggs this weekend (today), then check in another week & report back here what you find.

 

[trottet1]

its starting to get dark, and damp. I will wait til tomorrow and put another frame in there. I have 2 more hives in this same condition. Would you feel it is best to concentrate on the one hive only or help out the other 2 as well? I only have one strong hive and fear that If I help all of them out with this one good hive that it will jeopardize the only good hive that I have. Your thoughts on that as well?
todd

 

[clyderoad]

Oldtimers advice is solid IMO.
these were packages if I remember so you're in $300 or so. I'd protect that investment and if they recover quickly you
can put frames of capped brood and nurse bees back into the good hive later this spring. Might even catch the back end of spring flow if you are lucky. Concentrate on building the 3 packages up for fall.
Your good hive can probably spare the the 3 frames that contain some eggs without weakening it.
But..
It may come at the price of collecting little/no honey off of it.

 

[trottet1]

Hey clyde. Thanks for the advice. I don't really care about honey at this point. I just want to learn and build up a few solid hives that I can split and grow next year. Don't get me wrong, I would love to harvest a few pounds of honey, but I know that takes time. My goal is a super of honey per hive for winter stores. I hope thats not too lofty a goal. How are you and your bees?

Todd

 

[clyderoad]

I'm well thanks and the bees are finally hitting their stride. It's been a slow build up for sure this season.
I had to combine a number of hives with nucs this spring to build them up. It's all a numbers game and getting the most out of what you have to work with. With bees in my local it's not uncommon to go from 40 hives to 25 in a bad spring after combining, and them back up to 40 after I pull nucs off them or split some. (work with what you have, protect your investment...sound familiar?)
But got a good whiff of curing nectar in the yards this week, so all is well.

I'd guess that by following OT's advice you may find that a weak hive or two has a queen in a week or so (I'm wondering if you saw any queen cells in those hives today?) and didn't use the eggs you put in as insurance. Then you'll be able to put a capped frame w/ nurse bees back into the stronger hive and collect some honey for the family come summertime.
It'll all work out. Report back to us here.

 

[trottet1]

I don't think I saw any queen cells on the frame that i put in there. I have a feeling there is a virgin(maybe even mated by now) in there and maybe even in the other two. all 3 week hives had queen cells and all had some ripped open. one even had an under developed queen all white and dead on the hive. I thought that was a bad thing and mr. bush quickly corrected me and said that was a good thing (she was out stung by the reigning virgin) I will offer a frame a week until I see fresh brood. I will report back with progress. thanks and glad all is well.
todd

 

[clyderoad]

they very well may have virgin queens. if that's the case you'll be growing your apiary and collecting some good honey for everyone to enjoy. keep us up.

 

[jbeshearse]

they very well may have virgin queens. if that's the case you'll be growing your apiary and collecting some good honey for everyone to enjoy. keep us up.

Look for eggs or brood on the frames you did not add or eggs in the frame you added at this point.

If you don't see any eggs, add a frame of brood.