# Still working on the split



## Aroc (May 18, 2016)

Well I'm still not completely certain this split has been successful yet.

About 10 days ago I introduced a VSH queen I purchased. Being new to splits I was a bit nervous. I did check today but not real sure if she is laying yet. 

The split started with 4 frames of brood, a frame feeder with syrup and a pollen patty. I did spot her but she wasn't with very many bees....that being said it appeared as though she was trying to hide from me. I know some will do that.

There still is capped brood from the original frames I started with but I didn't spot any eggs yet.

I'm thinking of bringing over another frame of brood from the original starter hive and checking in another week to see how she's doing. 

Any thoughts?


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## gunter62 (Feb 13, 2011)

She needs empty comb to lay in. Add that as opposed to more brood and check that comb in about 4 or 5 days. You'll see larvae.


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## Aroc (May 18, 2016)

gunter62 said:


> She needs empty comb to lay in. Add that as opposed to more brood and check that comb in about 4 or 5 days. You'll see larvae.


There is plenty of empty comb in there as the existing brood has started emerging the past few days. She may have been waiting for the comb to open. 

Thanks for the info


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Aroc said:


> I did spot her but she wasn't with very many bees


What is not very many bees? Enough to cover one comb? Or what.

If there are very few bees you cannot add more brood they cannot care for it. But if there are enough bees to cover the brood, you could add a comb of brood just starting to hatch. No point adding brood that is a long way to hatch if the bees cannot keep it alive that long.

Other than that, queens taking that long to start laying after introduction can happen, see how it looks in another week, highly likely she will be laying by then, but she will need enough bees to keep that brood cared for and up to temperature through to hatching.


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## Aroc (May 18, 2016)

Oldtimer said:


> What is not very many bees? Enough to cover one comb? Or what.


There are plenty of bees in there. I guess what I was trying to say was when I did spot her she was on an area of comb that didn't have many bees around her. Usually when I spot a queen she has several bees around her.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Ah huh. Sometimes understanding what people mean is the hardest part of this. 

So just give the queen another week, and also bear in mind that when she does start laying the eggs are hard to see, and it's another 4 days before they emerge to larvae.


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## Aroc (May 18, 2016)

Went in real quick today. Spotted her and uncapped brood. Didn't spot any eggs but knowing the uncapped brood was in there tells me she's doing okay.

Thanks for all the advice.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Nice! All that's needed is another check in a week or so to ensure the brood is worker not drone, and mission accomplished. 

And, as the exact situation you have just had, crops up here on Beesource fairly regularly, you will now be able to give them advice from your own experience.


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