# Hi, I'm new! When should I begin to see brood in a brand new hive?



## BSAChris (Jun 2, 2012)

When you say you've seen no sign of brood, have you looked for eggs specifically? I know a lot of people find them hard to see. That being said, May 21st is 12 days ago, Assuming she got loose in 3 days and started laying eggs, you should see larva by now, if not capped brood since the larva are visible after about 3 days, and I think they get capped by the 8th day. So, if you're seeing none of the above, and no queen cells, you will most likely need to requeen.


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## LarkenMyles (Jun 3, 2013)

No sign of eggs That is what I was afraid of. All I can see is lots of very white comb- quite irregular and lumpy in my view, filled and some capped. Also some waxy pollen too. I did not see any queen cells but I did not check every frame. I will check tomorrow. Any chance that a qcell will show up? Or should I just re-queen? What kind of timeline do I have to get another queen in there?


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Welcome LM! If there are no eggs to turn into larva there can never be a queen cell.


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## BSAChris (Jun 2, 2012)

As AmericasBeekeper says, if you've no eggs, there is no hope of having a queen cell. 

If you have another active hive, you can take a frame of brood (with eggs) and put that in your ailing hive and they will make a queen from one of those; however, as it is already June, that will delay your hive significantly (16 days for the queen to emerge, then she has to "grow up" basically and fly out and mate). Your best bet is to purchase a mated queen and release her into your hive - she should start laying as soon as she's free, and you'll be flush with baby bees and brood in 3 weeks time! 

And I wouldn't have been able to say that confidently had I not killed my own queen by accident 2 weeks ago and requeened - all is proceeding well now and it will proceed well at your house too! I had to wait 3 days to get my new queen in; yours has apparently been queenless for 3 weeks, so they will be very ready for a new queen -sooner the better.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

The best insurance is a frame of eggs and open brood. But some package bees take as long as two weeks to start laying. That is still a few days away...


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## NewBee2013 (Jun 2, 2013)

Welcome!

How's it going now? been a week since you started the thread. My bees took a little while to get started also


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## seapro220 (Mar 14, 2013)

Was you new queen marked whenever you got your bees - and you can't find a 'marked' queen? I have something similar in that I haven't seen my queen since releasing her on 3/31 - but i've got eggs,brood, larva and new bees. I've done several 'full' hive inspections even including a more experienced set of eyes looking - but alas, she's a slippery one. I did notice a strange on yesterday, almost 3/4 larger than a drone and wondered if that was her - but as the other bees didn't seem to be bothered with her, and i didn't get a real good look at her - i just left her/it alone. If I spot that creature again, I'm gonna take a pic and post it for everyone's opinion. I'd try to wait a few more days and see. I did add, after about 2 weeks, a frame of eggs and open brood but don't know how much luck that has been. I was told by many to re-queen - and maybe I should of - but who nobody's the wiser - except them. ..


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## LarkenMyles (Jun 3, 2013)

Hi,

So, I inspected yesterday- I called the company who I purchased the package from and he suggest I wait a few more days, I am now seeing brood! However, I'm not super confident in my comparison abilities- he said make sure that they're not all drone cells. Unfortunately, the frame that they have chosen as a brood chamber is extremely irregular- comb is weirdly shaped in an unusual mass. Because of this I am doubting the "look" of the brood- they do seem somewhat domed to me. I'm planning on going in Monday with a friend who can take some pics to post. Hmmm...? Within a couple weeks of setting up your hive
how much brood did you have?


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## LarkenMyles (Jun 3, 2013)

Hmmm...no, my queen was not marked and I haven't seen her. Wonder what you've got in there!??!


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## LarkenMyles (Jun 3, 2013)

Hello and thanks!

So, I do not have another hive but I do have brood now! My concern is about the brood- is it possible that I still am not queen right? How can I tell if a worker is laying. I heard something about drone cells but am not sure about that. I have viewed so many pics of brood online that I thought I would be confident in analyzing the brood in my hive but I'm just not sure. They seem a bit more domed- certainly not completely flush with the surrounding cells. I'm going to have to take a few pics to post. Is it possible that they will re-queen?

Thanks!


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## Saltybee (Feb 9, 2012)

If you have capped brood, queen or workers have been laying for 10 days or more. Not likely to be a good queen anyway. Are some of those miss shaped cells queen cells? On new wax they can be more of a drooped drop than a peanut shape.

You will get better advise with pictures


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## NewBee2013 (Jun 2, 2013)

LarkenMyles said:


> how much brood did you have?


me? at about Week 2 1/2 we had 2 frames in each of the 2 hives. that was a week ago, going back in Thursday or Friday


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## Lazer128 (Dec 15, 2012)

Welcome to the site!


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## samoadc (Dec 15, 2012)

Ever since I read an article about the queen and hive odors and the possible problems that could occur if the hive is opened I have concluded it is best to not be looking to see what is going on every few days. Once you hear and see what seems to be very good bee activity it may be best to let the bees be at their activity without disturbing them too much. I read that bee sensitivity to smells is 50 times greater than ours. If true maybe we had best be more careful what kind of containers we occasionally carry them in or temporarily try to keep them in.


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