Quick Queen Question

[antaro]

Long story short: I split one hive into two.
Now I have a hive with an active queen, and a hive with no queen, no queen cells.

Last week I put a frame of eggs into the queenless hive. Hoping that the bees will take care of the rest.

My question is: Should I just leave the hive alone now? Should I check to see if they've made queen cells and, if not, keep adding frames of eggs?
My only concern is that with checking the hive I may well damage the vital queen cells (if there are any to begin with).

Is it a done deal that they'll make a new queen with eggs? Or is it hit and miss?

Thanks!

[annette]

When you split a hive, you always place a frame of eggs into the new split at this time.  In about 4 days ( I believe) you can check to see if they made a queen cell from the eggs. If it doesn't work out I would introduce another frame of eggs again. You should not be concerned with damaging any queen cells as long as you are careful when lifting up the frames.

I don't believe it is ever a done deal when introducing eggs into a hive or any other things regarding the bees. 

I have made splits that were very successful, and some that did not make it.

I have had more success when dividing a hive that already had queen cells in it, but that is cutting it close to when they will swarm out.

I started beekeeping in 2006. I learned a lot along the way, but I have lots more to learn. Hope this helps

Annette

[Michael Bush]

You don't say when you did the split.  From when you do the split until you have a laying queen looks like this:

Split (0 days)
Colony starts queens from four day old larvae (1st day)
Four days later the cells are capped (5th day, 8 days from when the egg was laid)
Eight days after that the queen emerges (13th day)
The queen hardens over the next few days (17th to 20th day)
Orients over the next few days (20th to maybe 23rd day)
Flies out to mate (between 21st to 29th day)
Starts to lay (between 27th to 30th day)

http://bushfarms.com/beesmath.htm

A frame of eggs and open brood from another hive is cheap insurance if you are worried.  But you have to give them time.