Capped Swarm cell found (new-bee question)

[London-Scottish]

Hi all, so stared off with 5 frame Nuc month or so ago...Building up nicely. Even put a super on last week prematurely, but not too bad. Drawing out nice etc....

Been checking hive every 3/4 days but not to thoroughly..

So, very surprised to have the missy phone me to say hive is swarming!!

So I get home and o a thorough inspection only to find. Caped swarm cell, about 8 early queen cells and tonnes of capped drone brood!!.??

I think I have let the swarm as the hive seems low on ees and I couldn't find Queen (although I cannot be certain of this??)

Advice warmly welcome... Really not sure what to do next?!

I have a spare hive if this helps??

LS

 

[Queens59]

Don't inspect for a week or so!! Being checked every 3/4 days is enough to make any hive swarm (sorry).

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Are there any eggs or larvae in the hive? It sounds as if your queen has swarmed - you now need to reduce the number of queen cells . Choose the best of the open queen cells with a nice fat larvae in it and get rid of the rest, if there's no decent uncapped ones: stick with the capped cell (although you cannot be sure of the contents, then sit back and wait for a few weeks for your new queen to emerge, get mated and start laying

 

[London-Scottish]

Thanks both,

I know I've been checking too often. Mostly because it's all new to me and I need to guage progress... Ironic then that I miss this!!

I'm afraid I could see queen ht then it was quite late and almost near dusk...

I have an extra hive, Is it worth placing capped queen I there with some brood & stores to see what happens whilst also leaving the main hive with or without a queen??

More stupid questions I'm sure...but criticism welcomed if its constructive

 

[REDWOOD]

A capped QC and fewer bees means the bees have swarmed, so where does this leave you, a Q- colony with QC, do NOT remove QC, go through your hive and select the biggest QC and then remove the rest, mark the frame it is on with a marker or drawing pin and leave for a few weeks for her to hatch and mate, do not expect to see eggs for a few weeks. Normally you would keep a QC that is charged with the biggest grub in it but due to the fact that this is a new colony with fewer bees than a stronger one select a sealed QC make sure that all but that one cell are removed, check side bars and corners, blow bees to remove them from these areas, good luck

 

[REDWOOD]

Are there any eggs or larvae in the hive? It sounds as if your queen has swarmed - you now need to reduce the number of queen cells . Choose the best of the open queen cells with a nice fat larvae in it and get rid of the rest, if there's no decent uncapped ones: stick with the capped cell (although you cannot be sure of the contents, then sit back and wait for a few weeks for your new queen to emerge, get mated and start laying

Too quick for me tonight

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You could put one QC in a nuc with some brood stores and plenty of nurse bees, then leave the rest (with only one remaining QC) in another hive- if there is still a queen present they'll sort themselves out - but this may be by swarming, but the usual thinking is if there's a sealed QC they're going to go regardless.
If you've only had the bees a month and it has swarmed then there might not be enough bees left to make a split viable.
How many frames had the bees drawn? how many frames have brood on and how many (other) frames have stores? If there are no eggs in the hive then its fairly certain the queen has gone.
You need to establish all this as soon as possible before you make a decision
Do you have anyone who could go through the hive with you tomorrow and help sort it out?
Personally I'd go for the first action i suggested

 

[London-Scottish]

Why would I keep an uncapped cell over a capped one, That seems counter intuitive?

 

[REDWOOD]

Why would I keep an uncapped cell over a capped one, That seems counter intuitive?

Gives you more time if you are going to do an AS

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It also means you are certain there is a viable larvae there (still may fail though)

 

[oliver90owner]

Why would I keep an uncapped cell over a capped one, That seems counter intuitive?

More than one very good reasons. As JBM points out - you know there is a larva in it.
A second point is that queen cwells are particlarly fragile just after capping - shaking can so easily dislodge the larva from the top of the cell during the final moulting/coccooning stages and that, simply, would be the end for that cell.

You can determine the emergence date more accurately (or at least not have to guess and be over) if the cell is not already capped.

I think that is enough reasons to justify an uncapped cell.

By all means, if there are sufficient bees split the colony into two parts, each with a cell. Don't expect a honey crop, or at least a decent sized one, but having two colonies is generally considered as far better than a single (think of the extra aggro, should you only have the one colony and that queen does not develop (for one of seveal reasons) any time over the next six weeks!). Also over-wintering is a time of angst when a single colony loss could be a 100% loss; much better if it happens and the loss is only 50%!!

I would suggest enlisting help from a local mentor as, at these times, the inexperienced beek is floundering at best - judgement of how many bees to transfer, judging if the colony is actually strong enough to do that, etc is often beyond the easy capability of the new beek, especially if they have not been on a course, or had some experience with other colonies elsewhere.