Do workers know if an egg is fertile?

[Davelin]

Before anyone shouts at me I have thought about this and I don't know the answer.

I have I hive that raised a new queen in May and all looked OK until about 3 weeks ago when I noticed a reduction in laying. Two weeks ago there seemed quite a lot of drone brood and last week it was worse and I thought I must have a badly mated queen here.

This week the colony have obviously decided the same as they have produced supersedure queen cells.

I went through the hive and removed the queen (put her in a nuc, but probably pointless) and left two queen cells.

Then I thought what if the eggs in those cells are infertile. At what point do the workers know if a queen cell is viable, if at all.

Be interested to hear opinions.

 

[oliver90owner]

They will take every opportunity to conserve the viability of their colony, sometimes to beyond the possibiities - but who would blame them for trying? They generally have a good idea - like policing laying workers in a queenright colony.

RAB

 

[Goran]

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/al...6aa67230dc1a539dfdc98b_2791.jpg?dl=1376355208

Drone queen cell.. Even it sounds weird.. Laying worker colony..

 

[Tom Bick]

If it is supersedure then the best place for your queen would be in the hive and yes almost certainly they know the difference

 

[sharonh]

Was no need to remove the queen if supersedure cells. I would have just left them to it.


Love Beekeeping <3

 

[richardbees]

.... they know exactly what's going on!

Out of interest, what made you think they were supercedure cells and not swarm cells?

 

[oliver90owner]

Out of interest, what made you think they were supercedure cells and not swarm cells?

Interested? Really? Should have read para 2 in the OP if really interested. Explained in more than adequate detail, IMO.

 

[Davelin]

Thanks for responses.

I imagined they would not try to raise a queen cell with an unfertilised egg, I just wonder how they can tell at such an early stage.

I'm pretty sure they were supersedure as there were 4 or 5 cells, all in the top third of a frame and, as RAB noted, Queen would appear to be no good.

Took her out because I didn't want her to fill up the brood chamber with drone brood.

Time will tell if this was the right decision.

 

[drstitson]

"Then I thought what if the eggs in those cells are infertile"

not really such a thing in bees is there?

normally infertile = unfertilised, non-viable or barren.

in bees unfertilised = viable drone to be.

presumably it must be possible to get eggs that are proper duff for some reason but obviously rare given the consistent brood patterns that can be seen.

 

[Davelin]

"Then I thought what if the eggs in those cells are infertile"

not really such a thing in bees is there?

normally infertile = unfertilised, non-viable or barren.

in bees unfertilised = viable drone to be.

presumably it must be possible to get eggs that are proper duff for some reason but obviously rare given the consistent brood patterns that can be seen.

And I bet myself that RAB would be the one to pick up on that after I had posted.

Agree I should have said unfertilised rather than infertile, but I think most people knew what I meant!

 

[Tom Bick]

Thanks for responses.

I imagined they would not try to raise a queen cell with an unfertilised egg, I just wonder how they can tell at such an early stage.

I'm pretty sure they were supersedure as there were 4 or 5 cells, all in the top third of a frame and, as RAB noted, Queen would appear to be no good.

Took her out because I didn't want her to fill up the brood chamber with drone brood.

Time will tell if this was the right decision.

Yes they do unfortunately especially when hoplessly Q- and laying workers the bees attempt queen cells even cap them but they are very small and will always die.

If you are concerned over this hive I would recommend removing the QC’s and introducing a frame from one of your other hives. Personally as you have other hives I would sit tight as you have more to learn.

 

[richardbees]

nterested? Really? Should have read para 2 in the OP if really interested. Explained in more than adequate detail, IMO.

Pshaw...!