Emergency queen in the making?

[dolbz]

I've just returned from a disappointing inspection. No sighting of the queen for the second week and this week there's also no eggs (there are a few larvae). There was a single queen cell that I could see and I guess the white I could see at the bottom was royal jelly. I couldn't see a larva in it but it was tough to see inside anyway so I'm assuming there probably was one.

As I haven't seen the queen for 2 inspections but I did see eggs on my last inspection I think I may have squashed her last time
Does this sound right or could there be something else going on? Do they usually only make a single emergency QC? What should I do next, just wait and see?

I feel so frustrated. How could I squash my queen especially when they were doing so well up to now

 

[Erichalfbee]

Sorry can't help but I have nightmares where I squash queens.......
When I inspect now I keep a nuc box handy and I pop the queen on her frame in that when I see her so that I can concentrate on inspecting the other frames.

 

[oliver90owner]

Queen could simply be damaged and still there.

What should I do next

Not much else to do, is there? Or can you get a test frame? You need to know whether she is there or not before actually doing much else.

I found a queen was 'where she should not have been' today; are you sure yours is not still there but not where you expect to find her? Some can get through a Q/E.

RAB

 

[dolbz]

Queen could simply be damaged and still there.

I did wonder this as the bees weren't behaving any different from normal. I understand they are usually a bit upset when there's no queen about?

I found a queen was 'where she should not have been' today; are you sure yours is not still there but not where you expect to find her? Some can get through a Q/E.

This is a very good question. I don't usually fully check the supers(castellated spacers = rolling the bees ). I looked at a couple of super frames today and saw one drone cell in there. I assumed it may have been from before I added the QE to encourage them up but if so then it was the only one. I'm going to go back to add a super anyway so maybe I'll look at each frame then.

 

[dolbz]

Sorry can't help but I have nightmares where I squash queens.......

Me too! I spotted her every inspection last season until the final one as I shut them up for the winter...typical! You can imagine what I was thinking all winter

 

[richardbees]

dol

"I'm going to go back to add a super anyway so maybe I'll look at each frame then."

Why on earth would you want to add a super to a problematic hive?

RAB is correct, go and have a good search through your super

richard

 

[Andre cardona]

was she maked

 

[dolbz]

Why on earth would you want to add a super to a problematic hive?

As the super that's on is nearly full and they're filling the brood cells that are becoming empty pretty quick. Should I not then?

Yes Andre she was marked. It usually means spotting her is easy.

 

[Andre cardona]

thay mite of cleaned her i mark one last year not to fined her this year cleaned