multiple eggs and supercedure

[Mabee]

inspected a colony today and spotted a well tended to supersedure cell, big well fed larvae inside. I also found a small patch of eggs but did not find the queen (haven’t seen her all this year), but have seen eggs so far. Then on one frame I found a section with multiple eggs, thoughts are either a laying worker but I don’t think the queen can be gone long enough to bring any that change. Or a new queen but then why the supercedure cell. Any suggestions?

 

[Ian123]

To be honest finding a few cells with a couple of eggs is common. The position of the eggs is also good, I doubt you have an issue.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I tend to agree with Ian but the fact she is laying multiple eggs may be a reason for them to want to get rid of her?

 

[Erichalfbee]

inspected a colony today and spotted a well tended to supersedure cell, big well fed larvae inside. I also found a small patch of eggs but did not find the queen (haven’t seen her all this year), but have seen eggs so far. Then on one frame I found a section with multiple eggs, thoughts are either a laying worker but I don’t think the queen can be gone long enough to bring any that change. Or a new queen but then why the supercedure cell. Any suggestions?
View attachment 31923

Nice picture and a great question
Aren't bees wonderful?

 

[Mabee]

Thank you, that’s helped put my mind at rest a little. Hopefully they’ll supersede and that’s all it is.
In a side note they were the calmest they’ve ever been but then the weather was a bit warmer than it’s been.

 

[Ian123]

I tend to agree with Ian but the fact she is laying multiple eggs may be a reason for them to want to get rid of her?

It’s fairly common even with the best of queens, I’ve seen it multiple times when grafting. Young queens often do it when first starting out and I’ve seen it in week colonies with a queen out stripping the areas they can cover.

 

[Antipodes]

Thank you, that’s helped put my mind at rest a little. Hopefully they’ll supersede and that’s all it is.
In a side note they were the calmest they’ve ever been but then the weather was a bit warmer than it’s been.

As an example of what Ian is describing, here is a photo I took of a weak colony not able to keep up with a queen and the queen laying multiple eggs in a cell.

 

[Erichalfbee]

As an example of what Ian is describing, here is a photo I took of a weak colony not able to keep up with a queen and the queen laying multiple eggs in a cell.

Brill, and there you have her looking into a cell.

 

[Finman]

Buy a mated queen. So simple.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Buy a mated queen. So simple.

Some people like to have their bees make their own. It’s not all about the honey

 

[Finman]

Some people like to have their bees make their own. It’s not all about the honey

Catch and reliese method.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Each to their own.

 

[jeff33]

Buy a mated queen. So simple.

Some people may start to think it's your answer to every bee related problem

 

[Finman]

Some people may start to think it's your answer to every bee related problem

Jep. A good queen is the key to the good and pleasant beekeeping.

It is not allowed to say in this forum, that you can buy a new ready queen if they have queen problem.

Yeah. Some people may think. Swarm queens, emercency queens, 5 y old queen, and what ever bugs are good enough for them. Only demand is that the queen is as black as possible.

Best queens are feral queens from a tree hole.

 

[Finman]

inspected a colony today and spotted a well tended to supersedure cell, big well fed larvae inside. I also found a small patch of eggs but did not find the queen (haven’t seen her all this year), but have seen eggs so far. Then on one frame I found a section with multiple eggs, thoughts are either a laying worker but I don’t think the queen can be gone long enough to bring any that change. Or a new queen but then why the supercedure cell. Any suggestions?
View attachment 31923

Did you have normal worker brood in the hive?

 

[Mabee]

Jep. A good queen is the key to the good and pleasant beekeeping.

It is not allowed to say in this forum, that you can buy a new ready queen if they have queen problem.

Yeah. Some people are such . Swarm queens, emercency queens and what ever bugs are good enough for them. Only demand is that the queen is as black as possible.

Best queens are feral queens from a tree hole.

You have made a few assumptions about the current queen. It seems it can happen to the good queens too!

 

[Mabee]

Did you have normal worker brood in the hive?

Yes, normal worker brood, also frames with normal egg laying but not lots of eggs seen. Quite a number of polished cells not filled.

 

[Finman]

You have made a few assumptions about the current queen. It seems it can happen to the good queens too!

It is very rare, that queens lay multiple eggs. According my 60 years beekeeping experience it is extremely rare. One in 10 years.

I have had few in 60 years. They have a violated antenna or violated front leg or black spot in the abdomen.

You see yourself, how good layer your queen is.
I have made assumptions accordimg story.
But if you keep that queen then you keep.

I stopped introducing queens with travel cage when I saw how much workers violated queens through the cage net. Missing claws, poisoned rigid leg, rigid antenna... and the result was odd laying...

You cannot stop breeding queens because casualties happen.

I know many beekeepers who are not able to squeeze the old queen.

But I wonder the amount of beekeepers in Britain, who do not want to harvest honey from their hives...

 

[Erichalfbee]

I stopped introducing queens with travel cage when I saw how much workers violated queens through the cage net. Missing claws, poisoned rigid leg, rigid antenna... and the result was odd laying...

How do you re-queen?

 

[Finman]

How do you re-queen?

I have 15 different ways. Too long story.