Are my bees about to swarm?

[Bee_Careful]

I got my bees in the middle of June from someone in the local BKA. They were a swarm that had been housed in a 5 frame nuc a couple of weeks previously.

I left them a couple of weeks (with regular feeding) and checked them the w/e before last. They were a bit feisty so I didn't look at the last of the middle 5 frames but what I did see was good (eggs, larvae, stores, some new comb drawn). Didn't see the (marked) queen.

Looked again yesterday evening and on the last of the middle 5 frames there's a queen cell. I left it on the basis that the bees are doing well in their new home so they think it's time to re-queen for themselves. Am I doing the right thing?

 

[Beagle23]

I got my bees in the middle of June from someone in the local BKA. They were a swarm that had been housed in a 5 frame nuc a couple of weeks previously.

I left them a couple of weeks (with regular feeding) and checked them the w/e before last. They were a bit feisty so I didn't look at the last of the middle 5 frames but what I did see was good (eggs, larvae, stores, some new comb drawn). Didn't see the (marked) queen.

Looked again yesterday evening and on the last of the middle 5 frames there's a queen cell. I left it on the basis that the bees are doing well in their new home so they think it's time to re-queen for themselves. Am I doing the right thing?

You may need to act quickly on this.

So the first point to make is that workers will occasionally throw up QCs even if the colony isn't going to swarm. Was it a cup or a sealed cell?

Secondly, the key thing here is going to be space. If your queen has run out of space in which to lay eggs then she's going to swarm. If they are out of space you can move them into a standard hive, or if you don't have anything bigger than your NUC then you can replace a full frame with an empty one - but this is just an emergency precaution to buy you some time.

Colonies can outgrow NUCs very quickly.

 

[Bee_Careful]

It's a full size queen cell.

They're in a full hive and have been for just over 3 weeks. Sorry if this wasn't clear. The middle 5 frames that came from the nuc are pretty full but there's space on outer frames that are being drawn.

 

[masterBK]

Sometimes a swarm will generate queen cells and supersede the queen several weeks later once the colony is established in their new hive. Sometimes a swarm (from a swarmy strain) will swarm again later in the season. More frequently they don't do either of these.

 

[Beagle23]

It's a full size queen cell.

They're in a full hive and have been for just over 3 weeks. Sorry if this wasn't clear. The middle 5 frames that came from the nuc are pretty full but there's space on outer frames that are being drawn.

As Master BK says, it's probably just a precautionary measure. If they're drawing out more comb that's a good sign.

 

[eltalia]

It's a full size queen cell.

They're in a full hive and have been for just over 3 weeks. Sorry if this wasn't clear. The middle 5 frames that came from the nuc are pretty full but there's space on outer frames that are being drawn.

So they are well and truly established and happy with their lot, ready to
Reproduce being that is their nature, swarming.
Make up a bar, full width entrance annd 40mm wide.
Screw that over the entrance at 4.5mm high.
In four days go check your QC is goooone.

0r follow all the If/but/maybe you'll be reading.

Bill

 

[jeff33]

Some great advice once more.... Block the entrance and don't even try to understand what is happening. Don't worry if they are trying to supercede, your virgin will be unable to get out and mate...

 

[Show me the honey]

Some great advice once more.... Block the entrance and don't even try to understand what is happening. Don't worry if they are trying to supercede, your virgin will be unable to get out and mate...

Single handedly turning the forum into a joke. Come on this forum each day to see what’s happening in the bee world and this clowns ruining it! Going to go back to reading shampoo bottles!

 

[enrico]

Single handedly turning the forum into a joke. Come on this forum each day to see what’s happening in the bee world and this clowns ruining it! Going to go back to reading shampoo bottles!

its not Jeff that's the clown here. not sure if you meant it to sound like that!!
e

 

[MartinL]

checked them the w/e before last. They were a bit feisty . . what I did see was good (eggs, larvae, stores, some new comb drawn). Didn't see the (marked) queen.

Looked again yesterday evening . . . ?

You didn't say if you could see HM?
And still only 1 QC, is it sealed? They seem to have plenty of room, were eggs still visible on your last inspection?


Just be very careful of some egotistical fools spouting hogwash on here again;

Screw that over the entrance at 4.5mm high.


Bill

Is this the same fool that was telling us, Aircraft vapour-trails were weather being controlled by dark forces?????


And JBM got banned??

 

[Show me the honey]

its not Jeff that's the clown here. not sure if you meant it to sound like that!!
e

No definitely not aimed at Jeff! Was replying to his comment! Sorry Jeff hope you know who I was talking about

 

[jeff33]

No definitely not aimed at Jeff! Was replying to his comment! Sorry Jeff hope you know who I was talking about

I was really upset and about to cry but I am fine now, thanks for the clarification, I got the sense of your original message, don't worry

 

[Anduril]

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=679677&postcount=10

This is what will happen, I have not seen any of our well educated Bee Farmers support this idea for a virgin queen. If they were to support it then I will listen, but so far the silence is deafening.

 

[birdsandbees]

And if everyone was doing it, even if a queen could go out there would be no Drones for her to mate with as they are also all trapped inside the hives!

 

[Swarm]

It's a bit like invasive species, allow them to spread and they become a nuisance.