Missing Queen

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Neil

New Bee
Joined
Mar 21, 2009
Messages
74
Reaction score
1
Location
Merseyside
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
30+
Hi all,

I was recently inspecting my hive to see if the virgin queen has been mated and to check that she is laying. I was surprised to see a queen cell on one of the frames, as I was trying to catch the queen to mark her, she suddenly flew off. I have inspected the have since and there’s no sign of her. If this queen emerges from the cell will this just be supersedure or will they swarm even if there is no other queen? :willy_nilly:

Cheers Neil
 
Why would she swarm with no other queen cells in the colony ?
Have a think.
 
Did you observe any reason for the colony to have created a queen cell when you inspected? Was it a full blown queen cell or a play cup? The fact you lost your original queen was unfortunate but the bees may have known something about her that you didn't?

Are you sure you have a viable queen cell? Are there eggs / very young larvae available if this is not a viable cell?

If you have done nothing else to the hive the original reason for the queen cell being produced may still exist e.g. over crowding? You dont give any wider analysis of your inspection. If you do have a queen cell and some back-up eggs then I suggest you shut them up and leave them 3 weeks, if not inspect in a week. Observe the entrance over this period, their disposition/aggressiveness, are they bringing in pollen, how industrious etc. A new queen will still has time to mate and establish a colony for wintering.
 
Hi

I had already done an A/S on this hive and was waiting on the queen to be marked and mated. The queen cell is capped.

Thanks for advice.
 
Last edited:
When a queen flies off the comb it pays to stay put as guess who was the big land mark she noticed as she went... Yes YOU.

I had this happen to me when working a mini nuc and fed up went for a brew, on my return to the area I thought to check it again in case a wee miracle had happened and did she not fly in and land on the comb? She was lost until I, her land mark returned.

Pays to wait a bit.

PH
 
good story, PH ! another little gem of knowledge, thanks for that !
 

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