# When do would I expect my queen to start laying eggs?



## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

I saw mine doing it today in my OB hive. To be fair she merely slowed down never really stopped so far. This is a "new" queen from a swarm I captured in the spring so I have no long term history with her. Normally I see my OB hives queen laying in mid to late January.


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## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

It depends a fair bit on what kind of bees.


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

In my experience and in general a queen never really stops for long unless things are dramatically wrong. Also in my experience I see increased egg laying starting near the end of January or so around here.


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## Aroc (May 18, 2016)

Carniolan mutts


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## Georgiabeeman (Dec 10, 2015)

This depends on your area. Here in Georgia queens stop laying leaving Mid October. The generally start laying again late December. Most queens do stop laying, this is because if she continues to lay all winter all the new bees will eat all the honey. Its not until the bees are 19 days old that they become forager bees and help retrieve for the hive. Therefore she waits until right before warm weather comes in to start rearing brood. Hope this helps.
David


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## Barhopper (Mar 5, 2015)

They're supposed to quit laying? I guess mine didn't get the memo. After last weekends partial inspection I'll be splitting a few very soon. Found one queen cell. But this is the strangest winter weather we've had in a long time, if ever.


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## Aroc (May 18, 2016)

There's a huge difference between Montana and Florida.


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## Nordak (Jun 17, 2016)

Barhopper said:


> They're supposed to quit laying? I guess mine didn't get the memo. After last weekends partial inspection I'll be splitting a few very soon. Found one queen cell. But this is the strangest winter weather we've had in a long time, if ever.


The difference being, you're in Florida, where I'd think there would probably be some form of nectar source year round.


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## Nordak (Jun 17, 2016)

Aroc beat me to it.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Aroc said:


> Just another curiosity question. In the cold or northern climates, when would a queen start to lay eggs? Do they typically start in January sometime? Or is it going to be later?


 Tomorrow.


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## Barhopper (Mar 5, 2015)

They never stop here in this part of Florida. They slow down but don't stop. Typically it's the end of January before we see this kind of build up. I think this years warm winter has got them going early. They've been hauling pollen really well for a few weeks now.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Aroc, don't go tearing hives apart to check, or it won't matter.


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## Aroc (May 18, 2016)

sqkcrk said:


> Aroc, don't go tearing hives apart to check, or it won't matter.


Not to worry....


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

Some of mine have probably already started, it's a good chance if we get a long February cold snap these could get stuck on brood and die in place with honey inches away. The bees that do the best here start back up mid feb when maple blooms hit, they then literally explode with brood.


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## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

Aroc said:


> Carniolan mutts


Carniolans are said to halt brood rearing ( & the queen stops laying) around mid fall and resume around early spring. It's likely that location plays a substantial part. It would seem likely that the "Montana vs Florida" location might cause a notable difference.

Italians are said to rear a "substantial" amount of brood right through the winter but reputable sources say the queen may only be laying a few dozen eggs per day around the winter solstice. IIRC, Russians start & stop egg laying/brood rearing "year round" in conjunction with flows. & again - IIRC - these appear to be the extremes - most others, including "mutts" or crosses, falling somewhere in between.

It appears to be "race dependent", to a fair degree, and when someone says "my bees" without identifying them, one can only make assumptions, based on the location & the observations shared.


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