cast swarm . fanning

[gingerbees]

Advice please:
At 6pm I noticed bees fanning at the entrance to my second hive. I then spotted a small cast swarm in the apple tree.
Have caught the swarm, it is very small, and housed it near the original hive.
Did a very quick inspection on the original hive, still pretty full of bees, 10 queen cells, grubs and capped brood, many cross bees!
Closed up hive to consider what to do as it was getting late and cool.

So - What to do?

Do I leave all the Q cells and wait for a new queen to emerge. Should I get rid of a few?
Do I merge the cast swarm back in with the original hive? If so, after how long? Should I squish the swarmed queen if I merge?

It's our second year - exactly 12 months and 2 days since this hive swarmed, the queen has been laying really well and all looked happy 2 weeks ago!!

Advice appreciated!

 

[oliver90owner]

When you say small cast, are you indicating it to be definitely from your ciliny?

If so, you lost a prime a week ago?

Were the 10 queen cells 'ripe'? No open brood is also a clue.

If that is the case, your hive could be losing most of it's bees over the next few days unless you 'pull' those queen cells.

 

[gingerbees]

Yes almost certain its from our second hive. There is no way we have lost a prime, there are too many bees left.
Last inspection 2 weeks ago - no queen cells but lots of drones and healthy brood, laying pattern.
The Q cells left on today didn't look thinned but there was one that looked like it had hatched. Could this be the cast?
If I pull off all the queen cells won't I risk becoming queenless?

Beekeeping is challenging - no one warned me!!

Wondered whether to check cast for new queen, if she is there then get rid of queen cells and merge the two?

Please tell me if this is a mistake.

 

[jackbee]

When you say small cast, are you indicating it to be definitely from your ciliny?

If so, you lost a prime a week ago?

Were the 10 queen cells 'ripe'? No open brood is also a clue.

If that is the case, your hive could be losing most of it's bees over the next few days unless you 'pull' those queen cells.

he says he has grubs, so may well mean uncapped brood as in larvae ??

Doesn't mean Q still didn't go in a prime in the last week of course because no mention of eggs or Q being seen!

 

[gingerbees]

Jackbee - Yes I have grubs and sealed brood, too quick an inspection to spot eggs.
Didn't see queen or eggs today.
Am sure we haven't lost a prime. I check the area almost every day and today was the first time the 'mood' had changed. Also there are loads of bees left in the original hive.