How long do bees need to repair damage after cutout?

[Danger Brown]

Didn't know if I should put this in the top bar section or here in honeybee removal.

I just did a cutout from a swarm trap into a top bar hive. It was 100 degrees in full sun and the wax was very soft. Most of it is suspended somewhat precariously under the top bars.

I don't want to disturb them until they have time to fasten the comb to the top bars. How long might that take? Thanks all!! Happy Beekeeping!

[divemaster1963]

my last cutout was about 3-4 weeks ago. they are now pulling the rubber bands out to the porch for me to get. I just let them go till I see the last one of the rubber bands. then I check them. let them work in peace to get things move in ready. then I do a welcome check.

[AllenF]

It depends on how strong the hive is and how my food they have.   They burn a lot of food to make the wax and they need a lot of bees to do it quickly.

[Danger Brown]

Thanks!
There were enough bees to cover all the comb even though many must have been out foraging. There is a strong alfalfa flow. They're only about 50feet from 80 acres of alfalfa in bloom. That being said, it isn't a huge colony.
I could be patient I guess. It's just that I thought I might have lost the queen. So I wanted to go in after 3-4 days and look for eggs.
I was so proud of myself because I spotted her and caught her in a cage. Then when I was getting ready to release her back into the new hive, I accidentally lost her. She got out about 12" above the hive and I didn't see where she went. But the hive's behavior seems normal and I haven't seen any clusters of bees outside the hive.
I think it's Okay. It's just that if they are building queen cells, I'd want to do a split.

This was my first time wearing the suit and firing up the smoker. Other than the brutal temperatures it was a great experience.

[David McLeod]

My experience has been that they usually get to work right away setting things right. Though with some they may focus on just the basics (brood nest vs empty comb) but all of them get the comb holding eggs and larvae hooked up first. As far as snatching the rubber bands goes it varies. Some seem to want those things out yesterday and other seem quite content to let them stay and just work around them, again preference goes to brood. Of course if a flow is on your always better as they will get to work that much quicker and attach and draw everything they can. Absent a flow you can feed the stimulate them into activity. All in all I expect to see attachment within the first week and in most cases it is well under way if not done by my day three check after a cut out.

[Danger Brown]

Thanks David! I appreciate it.