1 emergency cell with RJ and eggs observed

[Bakerbee]

Hi all, long story short i did a split a while back, and the hive left to bring on their own queen suceeded. She was laying well with bias observed last week. Today on my weekly inspection i again observed bias but found an emergency QC with RJ inside. Could someone please guide me as to whats going on. The hive is not big enough for swarming so im fairly sure its not that. The QC is in the middle of a frame of brood but i cannot tell if its supercedure or emergency or if there is a difference. It was a fair size and by the time it would be sealed would be the correct size for a decent QC. The hive was quite noisy today so im wondering if they thought she wasnt up to the job for what ever reason and got rid of her. My confusion is the amount of eggs today indicates shes still in there. Im sure the answer will be blaringly obvious but im unsure of what to do before seeking all your wise adviceon here. I did have a quick look for the Q but its a humid oppressive day in dorset threatening showers so didnt stetch the search more than a once over each frame. Thanks for reading this and any advice given.
Jus

 

[enrico]

They will do one of three things.
Supercede
Rip the cell out before the queen emerges
Swarm
My bet is on the second but.........
E

 

[Beefriendly]

any advice given.
Jus

New queen and laying fine + single queen cell...I'd knock down the queen cell.
If they want to replace her they'll build others. I doubt they will, but if they do then you know whats going on.

 

[Bakerbee]

Thanks for your replies. I will rip out in morning to be on the safe side and as said , will know more if they try again. I just wish i understood their workings a little better. To me shes laying well, great rainbow pattern on frames but what do i know. I will post how i get on.

 

[taurus]

I have one colony that does this. A new queen in a nuc bought last year but in June they built a single queen cell in the middle of a frame. I broke it down but the next week they'd started another.

I split the colony putting the frame with the QC into a nuc with a couple of additional frames. I thought that would resolve it......

The QC in the nuc developed nicely and I was watching out for signs of the new queen laying when the original colony raised another QC. So I split them again.

I now had three smaller colonies.

1. The original colony - which suddenly took off and became massively prolific. No further QCs.

2. The first nuc raised a new queen who started laying - I united them with a colony whose queen failed and she is a belter. One of my best colonies this year.

3. The second nuc took ages to start laying but went through the winter fine. I gave it to a local chap who is new and the queen is magnificent. Now on a double brood with 2 supers full of honey by the end of May.

Both new colonies are amazingly docile.

So yesterday I was inspecting the original colony - and what do I find? Oh yes - they're at it again this year - a nice fat QC right in the middle.

I guess it's just that queen has some weird genetics that makes them raise supercedure cells even though she's laying fine and there's plenty of space.

I didn't get any honey off the original colony last year - but both daughter colonies are incredibly productive this year so the long game wins.