3 queens

[Beeandy]

Hi, it's been just over 2 years since my last posting with a question, anyhow can any one help with this one.
I caught a swam in June and transfer it into a langstroth, the queen started laying (I saw the queen) but about
a month later she had stopped so I waited a week. No broad so I gave the hive a frame of young eggs and after
5 days there was queen cells. That queen was very productive. She was laying for a month or so, now I find 6
supercedes cells.
This hive is now on its 3rd queen in 3-4 months.
Any thoughts on this........many thanks in advance
Andy

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

now I find 6
supercedes cells.

what makes you so sure they are supersedure cells?

 

[Beeandy]

what makes you so sure they are supersedure cells?

Iam not 100% sure, they are emergency/supersedure cells. I saw the queen on the last inspection and the next I had queen cells.
The cell is a large acorn shape and coming out of the side of the frame.

 

[fian]

Iam not 100% sure, they are emergency/supersedure cells. I saw the queen on the last inspection and the next I had queen cells.
The cell is a large acorn shape and coming out of the side of the frame.

Translation for sailors:
A. Capture a swarm with a queen probably over a year old
B. Except for incorrect handling that cripples the queen, the workers decide to replace her once larvae are presented.
C. larvae with what age, hours, days, varied?
D. The queen presented such good posture?
E. A new incident that crippled the queen or a queen raised from a late larva?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The cell is a large acorn shape and coming out of the side of the frame.

as do all cells, whatever the comic books say - it's hard to differentiate one type of QC from another, but at this time of year if they are fairly obvious there's a good chance they are emergency cells.

 

[enrico]

Iam not 100% sure, they are emergency/supersedure cells. I saw the queen on the last inspection and the next I had queen cells.
The cell is a large acorn shape and coming out of the side of the frame.

Sounds more like a play cup. It only be ones a queen cell when there is royal jelly in it

 

[Beeandy]

Hi not sure about the comments, are you saying that I crippled the queen on inspection twice?
I understand that the swam queen was old but she was laying well and had good laying patterns,
plus they did not replace her I had to add a frame of young broad.

 

[fian]

Hi not sure about the comments, are you saying that I crippled the queen on inspection twice?
I understand that the swam queen was old but she was laying well and had good laying patterns,
plus they did not replace her I had to add a frame of young broad.

No, I assume that a beekeeper does not make those mistakes, which is why there is always another possibility (in the first, an old queen and in the second, a queen with a late larva, even poorly fertilized, who after a month is not able to exceed the expectations of her workers).
Frame of young broods on which the workers decided the replacement since, as you have indicated, there had been no queen lay for a week. For what reason?
How good was the breeding pattern of both queens? Continuous, with empty cells, closed on how many frames, were the workers shrinking the nest or had the queen looked for free cells at the ends?
As you can see, according to the general description you present and the data you provide, you will be able to find a satisfactory answer. The rest of us are opinionated about what you tell us, we have not seen the hive nor have we done the reviews. We can guide you but only you have all the data to draw a conclusion

 

[Anduril]

Think of this scenario, the queen was on a brood break when you opened the hive and at that point you may have damaged/killed the queen accidently. They cannot then produce queen cells if all you had were capped brood cells.
As @enrico are they play cups? Empty? This is a sign of a healthy hive
Are they charged cells, larvae with royal jelly?
Are they now capped or one cell emerged?
The second queen may still be in there, but is elusive.

 

[Beeandy]

Think of this scenario, the queen was on a brood break when you opened the hive and at that point you may have damaged/killed the queen accidently. They cannot then produce queen cells if all you had were capped brood cells.
As @enrico are they play cups? Empty? This is a sign of a healthy hive
Are they charged cells, larvae with royal jelly?
Are they now capped or one cell emerged?
The second queen may still be in there, but is elusive.

Thanks for all the comments, I did break one capped cell open which had a young larvae with royal jelly, both queen's (swam and my replacement queen) were good layers with good patterns, so I accept the possibility of accidentally killing the Queens.
I will wait the 3-4 weeks for the queen to start laying and be more mindful of my inspection.
I have a APHA inspector coming Friday so she may shed some light on this/my inspection technique
Many thanks

 

[Anduril]

I have a APHA inspector coming Friday so she may shed some light on this/my inspection technique
Many thanks

When placing the frame with the queen on back in the hive, make sure she is either in the centre of the frame or away from the side bars if you are using Hoffman frames. Slide it down touching the next frame (Hoffman), will reduce the risk of killing queens.