Hi John
 
My personal observation is that it takes a queen about four hours to
being, if the swarm is healthy (when I catch swarms I place them in
my cellar till nightfall, and usually after five or so hours they
have built a little comb the size of a childs palm. In the middle one
will see eggs.
 
But: when such a swarm is hived on drawn comb one will see that for
about a week the queens laying ability is pathetic.
 
If however you give them one frame with pollen reserves (hold them up
to the light and check for a thin film of moisture on the tops of the
pollen with sort of chewing marks in them) the swarm will take of
amazingly well, and she will have layed many many frames by weeks
end.
 
Another thing I have noticed occasionally is that a swarm often has
laying worker activity as well, and that this declines with time.
(probably an old queen)
 
Keep well
 
Garth
 
Garth Cambray           Camdini Apiaries
Grahamstown             Apis mellifera capensis
Eastern Cape Prov.
South Africa
 
Time = Honey
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