How many queen cells do you leave and why?

[Poly Hive]

When I do an A/S or make up a nuc I leave one queen cell in which I have confidence.

By leaving one I am confident that she will not lead off a swarm, nor fight and get damaged.

Others have suggested leaving as many as 4! Ok that seemingly works for them but leaving one is what I was taught and have practised for many years and it works for me.

What do you do and why?

PH

 

[MrB]

left 2 once and lost a cast, lesson learnt, its 1 form now on

 

[kazmcc]

Mentor told me to leave all the big ones, which could be anything up to 6 at the moment. Then I asked him again today, and now he tells me to leave just one. Confused. I'm leaving just one big fat plump one, as close to the center of the brood as possible. That's my plan, just going off what others on the forum have said.

 

[Jimmy]

with PH and Mr B.

 

[barratt_sab]

left 2 once and lost a cast, lesson learnt, its 1 form now on

We were taught to leave more than one "just in case", but I've had enough of chasing cast bees around the place, so they get only one from now on.

 

[Chris Luck]

I leave them all, no surprises there then.

I assume that the bees have their reasons for creating a large number and as I don't even look unless I need a Queen cell from a hive that has just swarmed that's that.

I rarely have any casts, two last year and none this year AFAIK and I do have rather a lot of colonies so that rather throws that one out of the window as far as I'm concerned.

Once again it seems my bees "break the rules", bless them.

Chris

 

[Headnavigator]

I was taught 'an heir and a spare' which is probably as well if you're a clumsy newbee like me.

 

[Nellie]

I leave one and choose that one from the uncapped queen cells so that I can verify there's a larvae in it. I mark the location with a pin and check again before I reckon that one is due to emerge to make sure that they haven't made more cells as I've been caught out by that one before.

Why? I don't want to lose a swarm.

The "leave two cells" advice that appears to be 2011's ropey advice that permeates everywhere is a bit of a head scratcher, it's cropped up on every forum, every magazine and even new guys up at apiary are quoting and we never teach leave more than one.

Before this year the only time I've ever heard leaving more than one queen cell, as part of an AS or post swarm damage limitation, discussed as an option is if you know how old the cells are and intend to release them yourself.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Having only ever done three AS I leave one. I was taught that...... unless all the cells are capped then leave two.

 

[oliver90owner]

C'mon people. It depends on the circumstances doesn't it?

One colony and taking chances? Better a cast than hopelessly queenless.

Multiple colonies and risking a cast unecessarily is a bit stupid.

PH put in his proviso - confidence in the cell. Not all have that confidence.

Strength of the remaining colony may determine casts or not, if more than one cell is left. A/Sing and taking off a split should mostly ensure the hive is not likely to throw a single cast. Finishing the job and moving the hive a day before emergence reduces the risk of a cast swarm.

Choosing a single open cell is far better strategy than choosing a single closed cell and later finding it is a dud.

So not all 'cut and dried'. Common sense needs to prevail, that is all.

I normally leave one. I have rather more than just a single colony and could easily rustle-up a queen or queen cell if a problem arises.

Those with multiple colonies are likely to do something different again - introduce a new laying queen from the bank of queens which are just waiting to be used for that very purpose, among others.

RAB

 

[YorkshireBees]

Leave one myself, I did leave two in a Nuc I made up and lost a cast and the Nuc may well be failing now!

Also I now have enough colonies that if I choose the wrong one to leave I have enough brood frames to be able to give them another chance! ( A luxury that is not available to people with only 1 hive.)

Having said that if I had the time and equipment available and didn't have so many hives I would be tempted to leave one in the hive and bank a second one in a Nuc as I have read someone saying before on the forum.

 

[huntsman666]

Leave only one but not a sealed one and make sure you can see it contains a larva.

Many cells are duds, leaving an uncertain one makes for an uncertain outcome.

 

[kazmcc]

Once again, i find myself thinking that if only I knew all this before we began this project. I don't understand how the people who had a little bee knowledge didn't insist we get two colonies. I don't understand why on earth they gave someone else our money to buy our equipment, which we end up waiting far too long for, especially when I know you need necessary equipment to hand. But. I am doing the best I can with what I've got. Mentors intention is to introduce a queen. He always takes his time, so in the mean time, I am having a go at raising my own. Due to theft of queen, and other circumstances I don't have the luxury of checking uncapped cells. The only cells we have are capped. It's just a fingers crossed case, having a good look, and trying to go of all the advice I've learned here. I am leaving one cell. That's my intention.

 

[Mrs Soup]

So far we've left them all, which has been betwen 4 and 6, both in an AS and in a nuc.

Result - AS up and running, no cast.
Nuc - queen hatched, but disappeared, remiaing QC's not hatched (killed or duds?).

Second AS off original hive, charged QC's into failed nuc plus AS - wait and see. Not convinced with this one due to lack of space and no confidence we've got all the flying bees out of the brood with the QC's.

 

[Cazza]

It's one cell for me. As I have more colonies than I need and am happy with my choice of cell, it's not much of a problem if the cell fails. Can't remember this happening either.

Cazza

 

[Poly Hive]

I am somewhat bemused by the few who comment on dud queen cells as this is not something I have come across.

Logic says the bees would not support a non viable larvae. They would dump it as they are more than a little ruthless.

I suspect that if a cell has been moved by the beekeeper that this is where the issue comes in. they are after all delicate wee things and need to be treated with not only respect but care.

PH

 

[Black Comb]

Well I was taught to leave 2 and move them to one side after 4 or 5 days denuding them of flying bees in which case they "won't swarm" but will only "use" one of the cells. The first time I did this they swarmed so now I leave one. Must admit, these younger cells often are charged with milky fluid but often don't have the beautiful c larva that you all mention.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

1 cell for me.
However I do sometimes leave two - until close to emergence but only leave one in the end. if they look after an extra queencell for me for a few days that's no bother to them or me.
We constantly read of casts being thrown off where extra queencells have been left.

 

[susbees]

I am somewhat bemused by the few who comment on dud queen cells as this is not something I have come across.

PH

Dud as in resealed after hatching if the beekeeper doesn't look hard enough at the cell? Dud as in chilled if at the bottom of the frame or transferred to a hive/nuc with insufficient bees? Dud as in shook the bees off and lo there's a sealed QC? I expect there are more.

But mostly avoidable with experience.

 

[Beezy]

Dud as in resealed after hatching if the beekeeper doesn't look hard enough at the cell? Dud as in chilled if at the bottom of the frame or transferred to a hive/nuc with insufficient bees? Dud as in shook the bees off and lo there's a sealed QC? I expect there are more.

But mostly avoidable with experience.

I've left 2 as I only have one hive so didn't want to take any chances. Can the cells be chilled if they're at the bottom of the frame then? Both my cells are at the bottom of the frame so now I'm worried that they could be duds. Would it have been better to have kept 2 from the middle of a frame?