?Failing Queen

[bushman1872]

I had a check on one of my hives today, very happy found sealed brood eggs and young larvae, however on closer inspection I found a few cells that had 2 eggs in. My question is this, is my queen failing or is this a perfectly normal thing to happen. The sealed brood does not have pronouced domes and looks no different from ordinary brood, is there any other way to tell drone brood from normal brood?

 

[Poly Hive]

Is this a young queen which mated last year?

Or is she an old codger?

PH

 

[Vergilius]

Don't know about Winchester but in East Sussex today it was only 6c; way too cold for any inspections...


Ben P

 

[Midland Beek]

It is not uncommon for a queen to lay in a cell more than once and is perhaps indicative of a queen that just wants to get on with business. The workers destroy the surplus eggs.

 

[oliver90owner]

It could also be an indication of there being a shortage of laying space?

Regards, RAB

 

[jezd]

I had a check on one of my hives today, very happy found sealed brood eggs and young larvae, however on closer inspection I found a few cells that had 2 eggs in. My question is this, is my queen failing or is this a perfectly normal thing to happen. The sealed brood does not have pronouced domes and looks no different from ordinary brood, is there any other way to tell drone brood from normal brood?

I wouldnt worry too much, checking brood when the temp in the shade is around 4-5c will have spoiled them anyway. Why check? as there is nothing you can do cus its the 6th March!!

 

[For want of a better word]

BEWARE... the ides of March


Or as Duckula said.. the oids of Mars

whatever they are?

 

[MuswellMetro]

I wouldnt worry too much, checking brood when the temp in the shade is around 4-5c will have spoiled them anyway. Why check? as there is nothing you can do cus its the 6th March!!

well it was about 9c on the M3 going passed winchester at about 3:00pm, some may have survived the drop in temeperature from 35c to 9c if he was quick but i agree i would not have inspected as still too cold , 14 to 15 well maybe but be quick

 

[For want of a better word]

March the 6th would pf course be Pridi Nones...... perhaps by the ides (15th) it may have warmed a bit...............

Hard frost here this morning!

 

[Bad Boy Bee]

Shame on you! It's far too early - drone layer or not all you have done is stress out your bees.

 

[bushman1872]

don't mean to be too rude but the original question was about more than one egg being layed in a cell not about the temperature. FYI I was happily sweating with just a t shirt on inside my bee suit!

 

[Poly Hive]

Can you answer my question please so assistance can be offered?

PH

 

[Finman]

I had a check on one of my hives today, very happy found sealed brood eggs and young larvae, however on closer inspection I found a few cells that had 2 eggs in.?

- It is not rare that queen has problems after winter.

- And several eggs in Few cells.

If the queen has not enough laying space, in laying pressure it may put more than one egg into one cell. Sometimes eggs are hanging in abdomen when it has not cell where to lay. - Bees will eate extra larvae from cells.

If the queen has violated antenna, it does not know right what to do.

This time of year it is difficult to get a new queen but look, how well the brood area developed. If it remains very small, the loss of eggs is bigger than few cells tell. Compare to other hives.

 

[bushman1872]

sorry PH, no she is a young queen mated june time last year and there appears to be plaenty of laying space at the mo. The double eggs were not in all cells probably less than a dozen. thanks

 

[Vergilius]

don't mean to be too rude but the original question was about more than one egg being layed in a cell not about the temperature. FYI I was happily sweating with just a t shirt on inside my bee suit!

Sorry but I was just giving advice; the heat lost by such an inspection could cause the consuming of more stores...

Ben P