[copibees]

I live in central Iowa and had a queen-less hive that produced a new queen 15 days ago. I checked today and i am about 90% sure that she is no longer around because i cant find any eggs or her. Should i wait longer or try to get a new queen?

 

[GaryG74]

Do you have another hive that you can take a frame of eggs/young brood from and add to the hive? It can take about 10 days to two weeks for the virgin to mature, take orientation flights, and her mating flights. Takes a couple of days before eggs start to show. I'd wait another week before ordering another queen whether I put a frame of eggs/young brood in the hive or not. If you do put a frame in, you will see queen cells in a day or two if there is no queen in the hive. If you don't see queen cells you have a queen there somewhere. Good luck and I hope you see eggs and larva instead of queen cells next time you check.

 

[Michael Bush]

When in doubt:
bushfarms.com/beespanecea.htm

 

[copibees]

Thanks Gary for the info
I will give it a few more days along with adding a frame with some eggs and young brood as well

 

[philip.devos]

Thanks Gary for the info
I will give it a few more days along with adding a frame with some eggs and young brood as well

Sounds like a plan! I am in the waiting game AGAIN with a NUC I started 3 in May. I thought I had a queen cell 1-1/2 months ago, and then found the hive queenless late in July. I pulled a frame with very young brood from another hive and put it in the NUC on 7-26, so I will be checking for signs of the queen at the end of this month.