I think I need a queen

[Mellish]

Hi - could someone experienced take a look at these photos of my new hive? These are frames from the centre of the brood. The bees a loading in lots of honey into the brood frames.

I can't see any uncapped brood or eggs, and while there's some queen cups, they're empty and no sign of an emergency queen cell.

I think the queen got left behind when I moved the nuc contents across about five weeks ago. The queen was supposed to have a white spot, but I don't think I've seen her (I've seen two bees with white on their backs, but I assume this is pollen). Some cells seem to have a moist white-yellow goo - about half full - I guess this is pollen.

Thanks for your help/comments etc.

 

[clv101]

Plenty of bees, but no brood would indeed suggest that you need a queen. Do you have another hive from which a frame of brood could be donated to allow them to raise a new queen?

 

[Tom Bick]

Looks like a QC on the last photo to me

 

[oliver90owner]

I can't see any uncapped brood or eggs,

Are you indicating there is capped brood by the above statement? Shouldn't be any if you were right.

Just a guess - I would expect there is a queen in there. Probably a virgin queen. It may be that they have superceded your original queen for some reason.

Details of your inspection regime might be useful.

Would you recognise an emerged queen cell?

RAB

 

[Mellish]

I don't think it is a QC in the last photo as there are a number of bridge bubbles that made me also think they were QC's but on closer inspection proved too thin.

As far as I can see there is no capped brood, only capped honey. I couldn't see any virgin queens or QCs that have been opening - though I've never seen the latter so maybe I wouldn't know the difference.

I've been inspecting the brood box at least once a week, trying to figure out what is happening: the only thing that made me think something was going on was seeing two bees inside two cells being fed - or kept in - but the cells weren't as large or deep as might have expected from a queen, so I thought, maybe they were drones.

I've ordered a queen, so it could get even more interesting if there there is a virgin hiding somewhere.

Will

 

[Tom Bick]

well it looks like a QC to me from the photo, what do you mean by "bridge bubbles" a dimpled surface perhaps? Also I think your other two queen cups are rather more advanced than regular queen cups.

I think your new queen may be an expensive mistake but one I have also made in the past

 

[drex]

I agree with Tom, in that I think there is a queen cell in the last photo.

Also enlarging the first photo, there could well be a couple of small larvae, but the angle is bad to be certain.

Can you ask an experienced beek to have a look with you?

 

[Mellish]

I'll take an even closer look at it next time. If it is a QC - and the new queen arrives - rather than kill the virgin, maybe I'll put the frame and some stores in a nuc and see if it will start a new colony. (Though I don't think it is a QC as close up it looks to be drawn down comb rather than something more solid...)

 

[BobsBees]

Mellish,
It would help if you had shaken the bees off the frames. At a recent lecture the tutor commented,"when you inspect decide what you are looking for and don't deviate" Having said that, if you are looking for eggs, look for eggs, after shaking the bees back into the hive. You only have to see 1 egg to know you have a laying queen in there, especially if its right at the bottom and dead centre of the cell.
Then you can destroy any queen cells or cups in the making in confidence.
There is still time for swarms. Several of my National Brood boxes have 7,8 or 9 capped brood frames, wall to wall on both sides of the frames, with a very high number of bees in two Supers.
Your queen will be there, just wait and see.
Bob.

 

[oliver90owner]

One colony owners beware - just be very careful if shaking bees from the frames at this time of the year. Shaken supercedure cells can mean a queenless hive. BTDT.

No problem if the old queen is still laying but there is a law which states....

With at least one other laying colony, it is not too much of a hindrance, justs wastes valuable time and causes angst for the beek.

I did it the first week in September (can't remember now if that was when I shook the cell or when I placed a brood frame with eggs in there). The eventual new queen went on to winter OK. It was a fine and long autumn that year, as I recall.

 

[susbees]

Two advanced or possibly sealed cells in the last one and a probable charged one in the first. I wouldn't be adding a queen until I was sure.

 

[MuswellMetro]

One colony owners beware - just be very careful if shaking bees from the frames at this time of the year. Shaken supercedure cells can mean a queenless hive. BTDT.

No problem if the old queen is still laying but there is a law which states....

With at least one other laying colony, it is not too much of a hindrance, justs wastes valuable time and causes angst for the beek.

I did it the first week in September (can't remember now if that was when I shook the cell or when I placed a brood frame with eggs in there). The eventual new queen went on to winter OK. It was a fine and long autumn that year, as I recall.

yep BTDT and got the T-shirt

 

[Mellish]

Had a look again today - the girls weren't too happy two days in a row. But the QC people spotted was in fact a queen cup - but it does look like there's something white in it.

The other queen cup pictures with arrows look like a queen or drone in a neighbouring cell being held back - what do you think??- and the larger neighbouring cup has a bee in it, maybe feeding something, but it was too dark for me to see anything in it.

Thanks in advance for your opinions!

 

[Poly Hive]

You have open queen cells, they have grubs in them.

You are seeing the workers feeding them.

Don't panic.... yet....... but you now need to work out how many there are?

PH

 

[Mellish]

As far as I can tell, there's one QC (pictured) with white inside. There's one with a bee's head sticking out (not sure what that is), and a third (pictured) that seems to have a bee feeding something inside. There's two other small cups which as far as I can don't have anything inside them (previous pictures in first post).

The hive though doesn't seem to me to have any brood - or very little sealed brood, and I can't see a queen anywhere - though it could be hiding somewhere.

I also have a Bickerstaff's queen heading my way...ouch. Maybe I'll put the bought queen into a nuc with a deep frame of bees and see if that will start up, and let the existing colony get on with it.

 

[MandF]

It is a drone "sticking out". You can tell from the size of the eyes.

Also, workers always have their heads in queen cells and play cups - either preparing them for egg laying (in the case of play cups, in vain) or if there is a grub in there, feeding it. I say this because you should not assume that a QC with a worker in it is a charged QC.