Late season queen cells!

[LeaBees]

Took the opportunity to check on a hive while topping up feed. Just wanted to see brood to stores ratio, but ended up spotting a handful of capped queen cells as well . I didn't go hunting for the queen, as I would have at a different time of the season, and seeing as I can't imagine a queen will get mated this time of year I'm a bit flummoxed as for what to do! End of my 1st full year keeping and this wasn't "in the book"...
Is the hive done for? Any ideas gratefully received.

 

[Ian123]

View attachment IMG_0900.MOV

Took the opportunity to check on a hive while topping up feed. Just wanted to see brood to stores ratio, but ended up spotting a handful of capped queen cells as well . I didn't go hunting for the queen, as I would have at a different time of the season, and seeing as I can't imagine a queen will get mated this time of year I'm a bit flummoxed as for what to do! End of my 1st full year keeping and this wasn't "in the book"...
Is the hive done for? Any ideas gratefully received.

Still some around keep your fingers crossed

 

[user 819]

Leave them to it, they won't bump off the old queen now but will superscede her. She likely will be kept until spring, mother and daughter will continue if both are laying. The bees will deal with other QC's.

 

[Finman]

Your hive will have a drone layer in spring. The hive full of drone brood. This is the result, when you inspect the hive in spring.

It does not go like Hemo says.

These cases have happened quite often in my apiary during decades.

 

[LeaBees]

Still some around keep your fingers crossed

I've got everything crossed.. I thought the bees knew what they should be doing but this doesnt sound sensible...
Is it too late to get in a new mated queen and introduce - assuming there are some around?

 

[user 819]

I wouldn't bother this time of year to buy a new Q, either go with the bees and see what occurs in spring or bump her off now and unite to another colony.
Make increase next year.

Have you recently treated ?

 

[LeaBees]

I wouldn't bother this time of year to buy a new Q, either go with the bees and see what occurs in spring or bump her off now and unite to another colony.
Make increase next year.

Have you recently treated ?

Yes, have treated but not recently. Did a course of Apiguard at tail end of August which ended early Sep.
Unless someone else has a better plan, I'm going to see what the bees end up doing.. Guess will have to wait and see what happens.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes, have treated but not recently. Did a course of Apiguard at tail end of August which ended early Sep.
Unless someone else has a better plan, I'm going to see what the bees end up doing.. Guess will have to wait and see what happens.

Do you think you might remember to update in the spring? We all learn from issues like this. Thanks

 

[drex]

Yes, have treated but not recently. Did a course of Apiguard at tail end of August which ended early Sep.
Unless someone else has a better plan, I'm going to see what the bees end up doing.. Guess will have to wait and see what happens.

Apiguard should be applied for two weeks, new tray in for a further two weeks. Month in total.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Is the hive done for?

The QCs may be sealed and viable but may also be dud, or vacated and re-sealed some time ago. Take one out and see what you find; it's easily warm enough to open colonies.

 

[madasafish]

Where are you?

In warm areas, drones still around.
In cold none.

 

[Wilco]

Where are you?

In warm areas, drones still around.
In cold none.

I find it can be hive dependent too. This is only anecdote but my Buckfasts are generally droneless now but some of my local mongrels still have some.

 

[Ian123]

View attachment IMG_0900.MOVThe link I tried to post earlier was of 1 of my buckfast with half a dozen taking some sun. There’s been a lot of late queen rearing going on though.

 

[Murox]

@Ian123 - your link above (post 13) only gives sound, no images.
Might be just me of course.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Works for me

 

[Murox]

Yeh - I use apple's native browser safari, mostly. It doesn't always play nicely with various video clips and so on.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yeh - I use apple's native browser safari, mostly. It doesn't always play nicely with various video clips and so on.

So do I but I find if it doesn’t work you can download the link here and it does.

 

[Murox]

So do I but I find if it doesn’t work you can download the link here and it does.

It never occurred to me to download the link - yes it works that way, thanks.

 

[LeaBees]

Where are you?

In warm areas, drones still around.
In cold none.

Located in Wiltshire

 

[LeaBees]

The QCs may be sealed and viable but may also be dud, or vacated and re-sealed some time ago. Take one out and see what you find; it's easily warm enough to open colonies.

I may try this, thanks