Subject: No Eggs? How To Check for Your Queen

View online - Bee Tools, Hives, Training in South Africa

No Eggs?

How to Check For Your Queen (and What to Do Next)

NOTE: It's been assumed that the colony has a mated queen in both scenarios.

Find Out ¬

Use this 5-Step Checklist before taking action:

Scenario 1: "No eggs after catching your bees? Don’t panic yet."
Scenario 2: "No eggs at your latest inspection on a running colony."

Your queen may just need time to settle | The queen could be shifting down.

1. Check the timeline:

Day 0–3:
Scenario 1> Don’t expect eggs yet |
A queen in a new nuc / catch box needs to orient and then start laying. {Depending on the speed of building on wax starter strips it could take a bit longer for the colony to build comb.}

Scenario 2 > She's always laying

An existing queen should ALWAYS be laying but the volume or quantity adjusts depending on the season and dearth period {and in some cases can be limited due to available laying space i.e. her brood space may require maintenance involving old brood comb to be removed and new starter foundation wax sheets or strips installed.}

Day 4–10: Look for tiny eggs (upright, pearly white).

Day 10+: Still no eggs? Move to next checks.

Check below to read on...

Beekeepers of South Africa! Get Training In Midrand.

Inspect With Knowledge

2. Look for queen signs (without stressing her)
Freshly polished cells = ready to lay.

EXPERT TIP: Calm bees fanning at the hive entrance often indicates a queen is present.

Spot eggs with angled sunlight — tilt the frame slowly. Keep it upright and not fully tilted to being parallel to the ground.

3. Confirm Brood Stage
Eggs: small, white, upright in brood cell centre.
Larvae: white ‘C’-shaped, jelly in cell = queen active recently.

Capped brood: she’s been laying for 9+ days.

4. Avoid Over-inspection
Opening the hive too often disrupts the colony.
Wait 5–7 days between checks unless there’s a real emergency.

5. Take Gentle Next Steps
If no eggs after 14 days: verify queen presence (mark or by careful inspection check).

If queenless: add a frame with eggs [not larvae] from another hive or order a new queen.

OR, if you have spare colonies with extra queen cells due to splitting graft them into this catch box / brood box.

Also, ask a beekeeper friend nearby or from your association who may have queen cells from a colony wanting to split - just ensure that the colony is healthy without signs of varroa and other diseases.

Last Chance for This Year - We have 4 Spots left for the final Easy Buzzing Bee Course for 2025 on 6th December

FARM : HONEY

Keep calm — bees can requeen naturally if given resources.

Expert TIP: Hold the frame in sunlight to spot eggs more easily.

Patience prevents unnecessary requeening. Be sure to do longer inspections on warm days only as the internal climate of the colony is wildly impacted when not sealed for prolonged time.

NOTE:
It's been assumed that the colony has a mated queen in both scenarios for the scenarios in this article.

Keep you posted on more beekeeping news!

Inspect with Knowledge 6 Dec

Starter Kit (With Boots & No Hives) [Choose Suit Size] - Small size - 45kg person

CHECK NOW

Easy Buzzing Bee Course - Beginner - 5 July 2025

CHECK NOW

Easy Buzzing Bee Course - Beginner - 2 August 2025

CHECK NOW

Starter Kit (No Boots & No Hives) [Choose Suit Size] - 5XL size - 110Kg+ Male 1.85 tall

CHECK NOW

Easy Buzzing Bee Course - Beginner - 17 May 2025

CHECK NOW

Beekeeping Gum Boots (Choose size) - 10

CHECK NOW

Subscribe

Subject: No Eggs? How To Check for Your Queen

No Eggs?

How to Check For Your Queen (and What to Do Next)

NOTE: It's been assumed that the colony has a mated queen in both scenarios.

Use this 5-Step Checklist before taking action:

Scenario 1: "No eggs after catching your bees? Don’t panic yet." Scenario 2: "No eggs at your latest inspection on a running colony."Your queen may just need time to settle | The queen could be shifting down.

1. Check the timeline:Day 0–3: Scenario 1> Don’t expect eggs yet |A queen in a new nuc / catch box needs to orient and then start laying. {Depending on the speed of building on wax starter strips it could take a bit longer for the colony to build comb.}Scenario 2 > She's always laying

2. Look for queen signs (without stressing her)Freshly polished cells = ready to lay. EXPERT TIP: Calm bees fanning at the hive entrance often indicates a queen is present.

If queenless: add a frame with eggs [not larvae] from another hive or order a new queen.

OR, if you have spare colonies with extra queen cells due to splitting graft them into this catch box / brood box.

Also, ask a beekeeper friend nearby or from your association who may have queen cells from a colony wanting to split - just ensure that the colony is healthy without signs of varroa and other diseases.

Keep calm — bees can requeen naturally if given resources.

Expert TIP: Hold the frame in sunlight to spot eggs more easily.

Patience prevents unnecessary requeening. Be sure to do longer inspections on warm days only as the internal climate of the colony is wildly impacted when not sealed for prolonged time. NOTE: It's been assumed that the colony has a mated queen in both scenarios for the scenarios in this article.

Scenario 1: "No eggs after catching your bees? Don’t panic yet."
Scenario 2: "No eggs at your latest inspection on a running colony."

Your queen may just need time to settle | The queen could be shifting down.

1. Check the timeline:

Day 0–3:
Scenario 1> Don’t expect eggs yet |
A queen in a new nuc / catch box needs to orient and then start laying. {Depending on the speed of building on wax starter strips it could take a bit longer for the colony to build comb.}

Scenario 2 > She's always laying

2. Look for queen signs (without stressing her)
Freshly polished cells = ready to lay.

EXPERT TIP: Calm bees fanning at the hive entrance often indicates a queen is present.

Patience prevents unnecessary requeening. Be sure to do longer inspections on warm days only as the internal climate of the colony is wildly impacted when not sealed for prolonged time.

NOTE:
It's been assumed that the colony has a mated queen in both scenarios for the scenarios in this article.