Is this an emergency queen cell?

[patl]

Ok, so the background is that this hive contains a swarm that was presumed to be the prime swarm from a friend's hive and was housed 16 days ago along with a couple of frames from our other hive (which may have contained brood). Inspecting it today there appears to be no queen and no brood or eggs as far as I can see although they do appear to have laid down a lot of stores. Is it possible that either there was no queen or the queen didn't make it and that this is a subsequent emergency queen cell which has just hatched?

 

[VEG]

Is there anything in that cell difficult to see from the picture

 

[Poly Hive]

Try a test frame.

PH

 

[patl]

Hi,
No, there didn't appear to be anything in there, that's why Im hoping she's already gone if it was a queen cell.
Sorry, what's a test frame?
thanks,
Pat

 

[VEG]

A test frame is just a frame with eggs and brood in. You place it into a hive you think is queenless, if there is no queen in there they will start to make queen cells on it from the larvae. If they dont make queen cells then there is a queen in there.

 

[Swarm]

It looks more like a play cup, or at least it doesn't seem drawn fully. I'm going by size of the bees for comparison.
A test frame is a frame containing eggs from another colony. If the bees don't make queen cells, they have one present.

 

[protheroe]

It looks more like a play cup, or at least it doesn't seem drawn fully. I'm going by size of the bees for comparison.
A test frame is a frame containing eggs from another colony. If the bees don't make queen cells, they have one present.

 

[patl]

ok, I test frame done, igured we'd better do it tonight since the bbc seems to think its going to rain for the next 40 days and nights. I knew the concept, but didn't know that was what it was called. Today seems to have plenty of learning opportunities

We couldn't be certain there were eggs in the frame we transferred over as the apiary was in deep shade by then, but from looking at photos of the frame after we got home it does seem like we have eggs and just hatched larva on the frame. The frame we chose to move across also has a swarm cell on it that we didn't notice during the inspection this afternoon though I'm not sure whether it has anything in it, but bees were coming and going from it so I assume it does.
Will this be used as a ready made queen cell or will it just cause us more problems? I'm assuming that if there is no queen currently, a queen emerging from a swarm cell will be treated as the resident virgin, rather than the potential head of a swarm.
Thanks for all your help

 

[oliver90owner]

If they dont make queen cells then there is a queen in there.

Another myth? Just not true, so don't be misled. Building queen cells is the only definitive result for a test frame.

Now to your swarm. Presuming is not good. It could have been a cast and as such would have a virgin. Unlikely, but it could have been a large swarm with a virgin queen from a hive with a clipped queen?

I would think there is a queen there, but the test frame will do no harm.

They would never have made just a single emergency queen cell. A very remote possibility but, in practice. they always make emergency cells (plural).

I reckon you just need some patience.

 

[VEG]

If they dont make queen cells then there is a queen in there.

Another myth? Just not true, so don't be misled. Building queen cells is the only definitive result for a test frame.

You just confused the hell out of me so in plain english do you agree with what i said about them making Q cells on test frame or not?

 

[Mike a]

Some good advice about using a test frame, but just to clarify one point if you add a test frame and they do not build a queen cell your friend could be mistaken and may of missed the prime swarm and what you have is a cast swarm with a virgin queen who will need another 1 or 2 weeks to finish mating before you will hopefully see eggs.

 

[Swarm]

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You just confused the hell out of me so in plain english do you agree with what i said about them making Q cells on test frame or not?

I think the correct answer to a test frame is:
If the bees do not make emergency cells on a test frame there may or there may not be a queen present (therefore inconclusive).
If the bees make emergency cells then there is no queen present (therefore conclusive)

 

[oliver90owner]

You just confused the hell out of me so in plain english do you agree with what i said about them making Q cells on test frame or not?


No. Not true. May be right and may be wrong (the bit I quoted).

JBM is right.

 

[Arfermo]

It looks more like a play cup, or at least it doesn't seem drawn fully. I'm going by size of the bees for comparison.
A test frame is a frame containing eggs from another colony. If the bees don't make queen cells, they have one present.

Almost certainly a play cup. You'll get used to seeing them in time. Bees having fun!!!