Finally!

[Arkwood]

Some of you know that my first 2 packages this year didn't go well. In the first 50 hours both packaged hive Absconded. Some serious bad luck! However I was able to get replacements a week later and with help from johng (Thank you), we installed them. For the past 2 weeks I have been on the edge of my seat wondering, are these guys going to take off on me? Today I went out and checked for cap brood and while one hive did have cap brood the other didn't however before I got to far into my thoughts about WTH (What the heck) is going on I saw larva and probably a day or 2 away from being capped. I did see some drone caps, normal this soon?

[Michael Bush]

> I did see some drone caps, normal this soon?

Some are fine.  If all of them are drones, that's not fine.  Every colony makes it's own decisions.  Some will not raise any drones hardly the first year and some will.  As long as it doesn't run over 25% things are fine.

From the time the queen starts to lay until you have some new young bees is three weeks.  After that you'll see them double about every three weeks until they are done building up.

[Arkwood]

Thanks MB. It wasn't many that I could tell. I only looked at one frame as that was my in and out goal (Check for caps). I just noticed a SMALL area.

[Billybee]

An entrance queen excluder/includer has kept any packages I have gotten and my  1st  swarm I have caught (with the queen) in the box. I remove it once I know they set up shop and then try to wreck the hives my own way  ;)