AS or not to AS?

[ultreen1]

Found 2 during my inspection, they are both facing down in the middle of 2 frames. Will I need to perform an AS now or can I wait? From what I've read they might be supersedure? View attachment 6334View attachment 6335

 

[drstitson]

uncharged cups from what i can make out. no need to panic yet.

 

[ultreen1]

Will it be ok to leave them for another week before inspecting again?

 

[drstitson]

Look in the welsh guide.

so long as no eggs in the cups then you have 7 days grace.

 

[kevrhcfag]

We are new to this and only got ours 3 or 4 weeks ago, strong nucs 1 very strong but for newbies its very hard, Queen Cups seem to induce panic and confusion like Corporal Jones in Dads Army "Don't Panic, Don't Panic".

Due to the weather we haven't been able to look at them much, but on the few occasions we have, every hive has had them. We had the Bee Inspector last week he took them off, told us to keep an eye during inspections but usually nothing, one did have an egg in it. On Monday every hive had them (see All the gear no idea thread). Now on the course usually space, overcrowding etc given as reason, noted from your other thread not really been expanding so can't be short, weather poor etc. We ahve also been told by others that these are regular and no that much to worry about as bees will take them apart again.

No doubt we will get caught out and our next inspection will find every hive has swarmed, but from a newbie perspective what will you end up with doing an AS on a nuc apart from 2 weak colonies and won't the fact you do an AS force the bees to make those Cups in fully charged Queen Cups as you have made one half of them queenless, when that wasn't necessarily going to happen in the 1st place. Hold my hands up as totally clueless but doesn't seem the most logical thing to do.

 

[ultreen1]

I am going to wait another week and see where they are and then make decision. If they were charged I would AS small colony or not, if I left them to swarm I would have an even smaller colony and the one that left might not last long if I didn't catch it! After AS I would unite further down the road.

 

[Davelin]

No doubt we will get caught out and our next inspection will find every hive has swarmed, but from a newbie perspective what will you end up with doing an AS on a nuc apart from 2 weak colonies and won't the fact you do an AS force the bees to make those Cups in fully charged Queen Cups as you have made one half of them queenless, when that wasn't necessarily going to happen in the 1st place. Hold my hands up as totally clueless but doesn't seem the most logical thing to do.

You wouldn't want to do an artificial swarm until the cups are drawn into full blown cells, (but get it done before they seal them).
Don't panic is good advice, queen cups are quite common, until they look polished/have an egg in/start to get drawn no need to take any immediate action. If they are nucs and given room to expand hopefully won't be in too much of a rush to swarm.

 

[Midland Beek]

I am going to wait another week and see where they are and then make decision. If they were charged I would AS small colony or not, if I left them to swarm I would have an even smaller colony and the one that left might not last long if I didn't catch it! After AS I would unite further down the road.

You need to read a half decent beekeeping book. Those are not queen cells. They are queen cell cups and they mean nowt. All comb in all colonies have queen cell cups.

 

[ultreen1]

What would you consider half decent?

 

[REDWOOD]

Put them in a hive with fresh foundation for them to draw and by keeping them busy they probably go of swarming, don't forget to feed

 

[Polyanwood]

What would you consider half decent?

I think that the David Wootton one - Beekeeping a Novice's Guide - is the best.

 

[masterBK]

If you demaree the colony then hopefully they won't build swarm queen cells in the first place. Better to be pro-active and carry out a form of Swarm prevention like a Demaree rather than be reactive and have to carry out some form of swarm control like AS

 

[drex]

at the moment they are not showing any sign of swarming as has already been said.
These are queen cups. They only become queen cells when charged with a larva on a bed of food. If they are going to swarm the queen is likely to leave just before the cell is sealed on day 8. Hence the rationale for weekly inspections.

 

[ultreen1]

I think that the David Wootton one - Beekeeping a Novice's Guide - is the best.

Thanks poly

 

[Davelin]

What would you consider half decent?

Ted Hooper's 'Guide to Bees and Honey' is one I have found most useful

 

[Moggs]

There is more potential for causing irrevocable harm to a colony as a consequence of panic decisions around 'swarm' cells than there is by taking a few minutes out to sit and think.

OK, it's true that bees may be in swarmy mood at this time of year but the new beekeeper should note that not all cells are swarm cells (and play cups are just that, idle hands and all that...).

Consideration of colony history should feature in any decision making. The time-honoured guides will be useful (the Welsh BKA Queen Cell booklet being particularly informative).

Don't panic and cut cells out (what if you had killed the queen at the last inspection?). Are they emergency cells (often appearing on the face of the comb as an extension of a normal cell)? Are they supersedure cells (again, on the face of the comb but built on cups)? Are they swarm cells (more of them, built from cups around the edges and sides of frames)?

Only the third instance warrants a fairly swift course of action (and only then, if the cells are charged with royal jelly and being drawn). The first two situations can be left to the bees to sort out, with minimal intervention from the beekeeper.