Drone Brood in Super

[Beedogg]

I did an inspection today. I have three WBC hives, all with 2021 queens. All seem strong. In one of the colonies I found Drone brood on a strip in the bottom of thee of the super frames. These frames are above the QE. I located the Queen in the brood box (9 frames of brood) and confirmed that she is below the QE. I also inspected the QE and could see no bent or broken wires.

The drone brood in the super was limited to a strip of wild comb built at the bottom of the frames where, presumably, it is adjacent to the QE - potentially touching. But I'm still struggling to see how the Queen below the QE could have layed in cells that were above the QE, even if only just above it.

Is this common? Are there any other explanations?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Laying workers.

 

[Wilco]

Or workers moving the eggs.

 

[Beedogg]

OK. Can you have laying workers in a colony if you have an active Queen there?

And is it a case that workers move eggs? I've read people saying that they can/do and also others ridiculing the notion. Any definitive views?

 

[Boston Bees]

And is it a case that workers move eggs? I've read people saying that they can/do and also others ridiculing the notion
Any definitive views?

Yes, both sides are definite

 

[Erichalfbee]

OK. Can you have laying workers in a colony if you have an active Queen there?

And is it a case that workers move eggs? I've read people saying that they can/do and also others ridiculing the notion. Any definitive views?

Every colony has laying workers. The house bees eat the eggs.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Can you have laying workers in a colony if you have an active Queen there?

You always have laying workers, just that usually the other bees police it and remove the eggs - but that isn't always the case

 

[jrmace1]

I did an inspection today. I have three WBC hives, all with 2021 queens. All seem strong. In one of the colonies I found Drone brood on a strip in the bottom of thee of the super frames. These frames are above the QE. I located the Queen in the brood box (9 frames of brood) and confirmed that she is below the QE. I also inspected the QE and could see no bent or broken wires.

The drone brood in the super was limited to a strip of wild comb built at the bottom of the frames where, presumably, it is adjacent to the QE - potentially touching. But I'm still struggling to see how the Queen below the QE could have layed in cells that were above the QE, even if only just above it.

Is this common? Are there any other explanations?

You have a laying worker bee. Laying worker bees only hatch as drones. Remove or kill the cells and see what happens in a week to two.