August Supercedure

[Andrew2000]

I have now removed the honey and am feeding the bees. Just before I took the honey off, I noticed that every weekly inspection, I have one charged queen cell at the bottom of one frame which I removed.

Since then, I have continued very brief inspections and every week, there is again one charged queen cell, suggesting supercedure. The current queen is new this year and laying really well so not inclined to let them replace her.

Also, at this late stage in the season, if I allow the supercedure, the chances of a successful mating flight are reduced. Just looking for some advice on what to do. The persistence single charged queen cell is a bit annoying as Id rather not be doing inspections this time of year and just let them get on with it.

 

[Walrus]

The availability of drones is "area dependant" as is temperature for mating flights, but it seems to be early enough for there to be plenty still about. I still expect the weather to get warm again before we move into Autumn proper, but who knows?

IMO if you keep knocking down the cell and they keep making a new one then maybe they know something...it's tricky. I would not be inspecting the brood box much or at all after taking honey & treating for varroa, so I wouldn't notice. Maybe they make a new queen, maybe they don't.

In truth I don't know what the correct answer is or if there even is a correct answer. I think in your case, if they keep making a cell, I'd leave them to it. Sometimes they can have two queens side by side for a while; the arrival of a new one doesn't always mean the mother will be killed.

 

[Erichalfbee]

You’ve got another colony
I’d leave them to it

 

[beeno]

Hi Andrew,
I removed a supersedure cell into a nuc last year, as I liked the genetics, thinking they make another. They did not and although she was laying well at the time she became a drone layer in September. At least I had one daughter to unite with. Food for thought?

 

[Andrew2000]

Thanks for your thoughts. The second hive I have was created this year from a split and took at least 3 rounds of queen cells to get a laying queen thus the hesitancy in allowing the supercedure to continue!

As this is my 'second' or 'spare' hive, Im hesitant to risk losing it this close to the end of the season. I think Ill inspect next week and if there is a persistant QC, just leave it and hope for the best!

 

[Jambo]

Hi Andrew,
I removed a supersedure cell into a nuc last year, as I liked the genetics, thinking they make another. They did not and although she was laying well at the time she became a drone layer in September. At least I had one daughter to unite with. Food for thought?

I had exactly the same thing in 2017 going into 2018; my sample size is small but I'd be inclined to think the bees know something OP doesn't, though I'd share the concerns about the low likelihood of successful mating now.

 

[Swarm]

If you weren't inspecting, you wouldn't be aware ??
Looks like they are not going to quit so leave them to it, maybe they will run with two queens for a while.
I'm optimistic like Walrus and think we will get a warm spell and still drones around. It's only August, it's supposed to still be Summer

 

[Ian123]

Loads of time for a queen to mate. Replace the queen or let the bees get on with it better now then a failing queen in winter or missing the bees doing it later.

 

[Finman]

.
You will have a drone layer if you .do not buy a new mated queen to the hive.

 

[Finman]

If you weren't inspecting, you wouldn't be aware ??
Looks like they are not going to quit so leave them to it, maybe they will run with two queens for a while.
I'm optimistic like Walrus and think we will get a warm spell and still drones around. It's only August, it's supposed to still be Summer

The queen will Make mating flights in the middle of September. Worth to wait it?

 

[SDM]

The queen will Make mating flights in the middle of September. Worth to wait it?

Maybe, maybe not, but so often poorly mated( if mated) that it's not worth it.

 

[deemann1]

You could put your queen in a nuc , let them get on with it and if new queen mates all good , if not just put old queen back in

 

[Hebeegeebee]

By trying to replace the queen, the bees are telling you something. Queens will mate for some time to come - and in Surrey you have more time than many in the UK.

You have the option of making a nuc with the queencell on it's frame and some shaken in bees (or the flyers if you put the nuc in the place of the parent colony). If the queencell comes good, then you can remove the older queen and unite. If you do lose the flyers from the parent colony, you may need to start feeding. If you keep removing the queencells, you reduce the chances of a succesfull mating week by week.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I fought this once and lost the colony over the winter. By chance, was the Q introduced or was she "native" to the colony?