New Hive, Started From Swarm, May Have Laying Workers

[Alklar20]

I have a hive that was started from a swarm that was caught and hived on June 21, 2021; at least that's when I believe it was caught. Yesterday, which was July 3, 2021, I inspected the hive; thus about 1 week and 5 days had elapsed from the time the swarm was hived to the first inspection. I found plenty of eggs. I thought, "Oh, good! We have a new queen," until I saw I saw a few eggs that looked like they were laid on the sides of their cells. This makes me think the new hive may have laying workers. However, I saw didn't see any cells with multiple eggs laid in them; only single eggs. Is it normal for the queen to lay an egg on the side of a cell every once in a while?

[iddee]

It is normal for a new queen to lay haphazardly for the first few days. Give her another week and see what she does.

[Jen]

Agree with Iddee, keep in mind that brand new mated queens are not pre-programed robots... well at first anyway. It takes them a few days to get their mojo going, I have found that it takes them a week or more to figure out how to lay efficiently. Here is something that I just learned last season, a brand new mated queen's abdomen remains short until she starts laying, then the abdomen will fill up and stretch out.

I'll bet you found her just starting to lay. Congrats on your new queen. I Love Swarms!