The vibration signal of the honeybee is a modulatory communication signal that helps to organize labor among worker groups. We hypothesized that the level of vibration activity and the responses of recipients would be heightened in newly founded colonies, which may have greater labor demands compared to established colonies. We found that vibration signal activity was significantly greater in newly founded than established colonies. In both colony types, recipients of the signal spent a greater proportion of time performing tasks, performed a greater number of tasks and exhibited increased locomotion compared to same age controls that did not receive vibration signals. However, we found no difference in the degree to which the signal increased activity in the newly founded versus established colonies. Therefore, the vibration signal may help to increase labor in newly founded nests through increased signaling activity, but not through altered responses of recipients.