# How long before captured swarm lays eggs?



## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Sometimes up to a week. The bees need time to prepare the cells for eggs and quite often the queen needs to settle down before she will lay again.
If no eggs are present after the week, intro a new one.


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## rwlaw (May 4, 2009)

Ya, I'd say a week, had a swarm this year that I was ready to dispatch the q cause she wasn't laying after a week and a half at least. All of sudden the frame of bait comb was full of eggs.


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## AlCol (Oct 4, 2013)

Ok, I looked up the hive yesterday (7 days later) and its busy but still no eggs. Queen may be there but didn't see her. I am ordering a new queen.


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## fatshark (Jun 17, 2009)

Was it definitely a mated and laying Q in the swarm? You might have captured a cast, not the prime swarm. If it's a cast the virgin will need time (and suitable weather) to get mated and then start laying. Virgin Q's are skittish and more difficult to spot than mated queens. If you drop a new Q into the colony and there's already one present then things won't go well for one of them.


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## RobA (Dec 18, 2014)

I agree with fatshark. I had a similar situation and it took more than 2-1/2 weeks.


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

AlCol said:


> Ok, I looked up the hive yesterday (7 days later) and its busy but still no eggs. Queen may be there but didn't see her. I am ordering a new queen.


If they are drawing comb and leaving an area of comb empty for her to lay in....you are probably jumping the gun.


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## AlCol (Oct 4, 2013)

fatshark said:


> Was it definitely a mated and laying Q in the swarm? You might have captured a cast, not the prime swarm. If it's a cast the virgin will need time (and suitable weather) to get mated and then start laying. Virgin Q's are skittish and more difficult to spot than mated queens. If you drop a new Q into the colony and there's already one present then things won't go well for one of them.


Hi Fatshark, I am pretty sure that the swarm has a mated queen from last year. In fact, the swarm came from another of my hive. That's why I didn't think that she would take so long to lay. I guess I should learn patience ;-)


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## RobA (Dec 18, 2014)

Is it possible your hive swarmed more than once? If so, it could be the 2nd swarm you captured and it could have had a virgin queen. I caught my own swarm and it had a virgin queen.


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## AlCol (Oct 4, 2013)

Hi,

A brief update. Suppliers in my area were out of queens to sell, so I couldn't introduce a queen in the hive. Turned out to be a good thing since yesterday's inspection revealed eggs  So it took the swarming queen almost 2 weeks to start laying. Your estimations were right, thanks!


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## fatshark (Jun 17, 2009)

Good news ...


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## Fishmaster50 (Apr 30, 2015)

I caught a swarm in box and in 22 days I had orientation flight. Was amazed it was that quick.


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