Spring Activity - When does Queen start laying?

[lcashmack]

I checked on the girls on March7th. it was a few days of really nice weather. The whole hive was very active. It looked like they were cleaning out comb and preparing. I did not see a queen (although i hardly ever am able to find her) and did not see any larvae. When should she start laying eggs. When should I say "it's time to order a queen?".

[Busy Bee Farm]

Assuming you are somewhere along the front range of Colorado?  I have done inspections on warm days as early as the end of January and have seen evidence of queen laying.  Besides the weather, meaning warm days, I think the main reason for this in my hives is that I always keep pollen substitute available both as patties placed on the top bars and bulk feed outside the hive.  During periods of drought, especially in late summer early fall, there is no pollen and hence no bee bread in the hive.  If there is no amino based feed come early spring the ability of the queen to lay will be delayed or impaired all together.

Steven Lechner
Busy Bee Farm
Larkspur, CO
303.657.5360