[crabbydad]

I made a small split in a nuc on July 23. checked yesterday(8/14) 22 days later. I saw a queen but she doesn't look mated. I had a robbing screen on the nuc and I'm wondering if she didn't find her way out to mate. I didn't see any eggs in the hive. the robing screen I made- they had to come out of a entrance about an inch wide onn the left side, then go up 5 inches and out a small entrance on the right side. take a look at the pic and let me know what you think.
thanks

 

[Dave Burrup]

She looks okay to my eye. I would give her another week.

 

[rwlaw]

I just had a queen that went 32 days, went to double ck and see if indeed it was queenless, there was eggs and larvae.

 

[crabbydad]

when I was watching her walk around the frame, she seemed small and the bees didn't seem to pay attention to her. I guess i'll wait another week and have a look.

 

[Slow Drone]

You shouldn't start finding eggs until August 20th. Like Dave Burrup said give her another week. Mating is weather dependent. The robber screen shouldn't make a difference but if you haven't had any robbing I'd take it off.

 

[bbruff22]

I just had a queen that went 32 days, went to double ck and see if indeed it was queenless, there was eggs and larvae.

My example is regarding a swarm queen that the hive raised, but it's related. It was certainly over 30 days from when the swarm left the hive until she started laying well, at least that I could find evidence of. I've still never seen her (double deep configuration), but this is what she's producing now.

 

[crabbydad]

I took the robbing screen off last night, nice solid pattern bbruff

 

[drtoddh]

My queens mated fine through a robbing screen like u described.

 

[Mradamhopkins]

Want to tag along to this one. CRABBYDAD I too made a split on July 23 and just looked in on things today. Still no eggs but I was so excited to actually see a queen. Considering I have only had bees for a few months and I actually did a split and they made a queen, now if she can just get mated and start laying! here she is head first in a cell and the bees around her are all over her. Not sure what this means. just a couple more shots I was able to get. Good luck and hopefully you start seeing eggs soon!

 

[Slow Drone]

If you use smoke or the face of the frame gets direct sunlight that's what she is gonna do sometimes Mr. Hopkins. It's normal for her to do that. Virgin and freshly mated queens are experts at hiding no doubt. She looks like she has a retinue so she just might be freshly mated.

 

[Saltybee]

Pictures do not tell the whole story but I am not seeing much stores, pollen looks (top picture) ok, but she will not start well without reserves on hand.
Hard to think of feeding with robbing screen on but it can be done carefully if they need it.

 

[Mradamhopkins]

Crabbydad, just wondering if you were able to check in on things today. When I went out there this morning I saw larva on 1 frame and 4 frames full of eggs. I was so excited! I hope you had success as well! I never thought that I would be making a split so soon and get a mated queen at that, all for free

 

[crabbydad]

i checked yesterday and still no eggs. they were getting low on stores so i put a top feeder on. i hope this stimultes the queen to start laying. we are currently in a dearth. i still thing she looks small and possibly a virgin.

 

[Michael Bush]

Sometimes a virgin queen won't fly without some nectar coming in or feeding to simulate that. Sometimes it only takes a tablespoon or two of syrup to get them to fly.

 

[crabbydad]

I know if she doesn't mate after a period of time, she never will. how long will she go without mating before giving up? i'll check again this weekend, hopefully i'll find eggs.

 

[Mradamhopkins]

I also have a question....once she has started to lay would she be done trying to get mated? She won't go on anymore flights right unless she swarms? Any issues with putting them into my 10 frame deep now? As far as her coming back and being confused on a different house.

 

[Michael Bush]

>I know if she doesn't mate after a period of time, she never will. how long will she go without mating before giving up? i'll check again this weekend, hopefully i'll find eggs.

She won't give up. She won't ever lay until she mates. If it takes more then three weeks from when she emerges, she will most likely be a drone layer.

 

[crabbydad]

finally, checked today and found eggs and young larva. queen does look bigger to me.

 

[biggraham610]

Looks like a keeper to me. Congrats. G:thumbsup:

 

[Mradamhopkins]

Glad you had success as well crabbydad!! here's mine after she started laying...she's not really big but has been putting an egg in just about every cell. Can't ask for more than that. Doesn't matter to me how large she is.