Multiple eggs in cells

[steve56616]

Managed to inspect hives today as warm and sunny earlier...didn't last long!!.
One hive with a 2013 (red) queen has laid multiple eggs in cells. There is BIAS on other frames... not much but some as its a very small colony. Had problems with my out apiary with flooding this year and my hives were pretty much submerged. Lost one out the three but was expecting to have none at all. Other hive is really good. Going to be re-thinking locations as don't want that happening again.
Is this queen excited to be alive and being over enthusiastic or has she lost the plot due to her age?

 

[Poly Hive]

she is getting started please give her time.

PH

 

[enrico]

As poly hive says, it happens at this time of the year, don't worry too much yet. Glad some survived the floods, they do everything they can to stay alive. The wind bounced one of mine down the hill, a two inch poly hood save it but I had little hope, not sure if queen is in there as too cold to inspect but some flying from entrance!
E

 

[steve56616]

I thought so as she has been a good queen the past 2 years so will watch how she does.
This is the best part of the year, watching them come back and enjoying it before the swarming season starts. Im hoping my new TBH adventure takes off and I find it easier and less stressful. Also bringing them back to my own garden and keeping the out apiary as back up if needed.

 

[Finman]

.
Tupla

 

[Finman]

.
Queen us violated.
Get a new queen.

.2013 queen is old enough to requeen.

It is not rare that after winter queen is not able to lay like on previous summer.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Managed to inspect hives today as warm and sunny earlier...didn't last long!!.
One hive with a 2013 (red) queen has laid multiple eggs in cells. There is BIAS on other frames... not much but some as its a very small colony. Had problems with my out apiary with flooding this year and my hives were pretty much submerged. Lost one out the three but was expecting to have none at all. Other hive is really good. Going to be re-thinking locations as don't want that happening again.
Is this queen excited to be alive and being over enthusiastic or has she lost the plot due to her age?

I'd be interested to hear if the multiple eggs were deep in the cells or stuck to the walls. Your red queen has apparently been laying for the bias but her pheromones could be fading. If she has laid correctly earlier I wouldn't expect her to regress to spattering multiple eggs.

 

[steve56616]

Mixed review, not sure now what to think

I plan to re-queen this year anyway.
Eggs are deep in cells

 

[kazmcc]

Mixed review, not sure now what to think

I plan to re-queen this year anyway.
Eggs are deep in cells

Can you post a pic?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Mixed review, not sure now what to think

Think again in a week/10days?
That's what I would do

 

[Finman]

.
I have never met that the queen lays multiple eggs after winter.

The queen starts small laying in February and now it is half April. The hive should have a big brood amount now.

Buy a foreign queen now, and if you want to change it later, you may do it.
Do not spoil your colony in waiting.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Sounds like an okay queen that wants to lay, but not enough bees to maintain a bigger brood area/nest....add bees.

Sometimes get the same with young mated queens in mini nucs, but that is lack of comb space to lay more individual eggs in.

 

[pargyle]

Think again in a week/10days?
That's what I would do

Yes ... give it a bit longer - plenty of time to requeen with a BRITISH and preferably LOCAL queen if you need to ... ignore Finmans buy foreign queens advice - last thing we really want is more bees from warmer climates making drones to mate with our climate adjusted local mongrels. Plenty of choice for UK queens once the season gets going ... not least of which HM's Buckies.

 

[steve56616]

I think I will put them in a nuc as there isn't many of them.
I didn't get a pic im afraid.
They haven't got much stores and haven't touched the fondant I put in earlier in the year. They seem to be taking the chrystalised honey from last year.

 

[pargyle]

They haven't got much stores and haven't touched the fondant I put in earlier in the year. They seem to be taking the chrystalised honey from last year.

Well that tells you something about what your bees prefer ... their own honey by the sounds of it.

Instead of putting them in a nuc you could just dummy your existing hive down with a dummy board and some insulation (anything will do) in the empty space you create. Saves mucking them about too much - swapping hives at this time of the year is not great for the bees.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Plenty of choice for UK queens once the season gets going ... not least of which HM's Buckies.

Then there are LASI's hygienic queens in the offing......
Can't wait to see what comes of that

 

[pargyle]

Then there are LASI's hygienic queens in the offing......
Can't wait to see what comes of that

Yes ...very interesting development. I wonder how many they will have available and how they will select who gets them or which areas they target ?

Can't wait ....

 

[charlievictorbravo]

Then there are LASI's hygienic queens in the offing......
Can't wait to see what comes of that

It's a pity that, give developments elsewhere, LASI have not gone the extra mile and had their hygienic bees tested for viruses - have they got type A, type B or type C?

How great it would be if they were able to say they were locally bred, near native hygienic bees that have type B virus and SIE protection against type A. It might even help us understand whether there is a connection between hygienic behaviour and type B virus (oh no, not that old chestnut again!)

CVB

 

[Finman]

Yes ... give it a bit longer - plenty of time to requeen with a BRITISH and preferably LOCAL queen if you need to ... ignore Finmans buy foreign queens advice - last thing we really want is more bees .

Britain is full of foreign queens ad new are coming. Vain hope pargyle that we do not import queens or bees.

In years 2007-2009 80% of imported queens were from Hawaii.

""""""""""""""

But if that colony is very small, nothing helps.

My smallest colony is now coffee cup size.
.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It's a pity that, give developments elsewhere, LASI have not gone the extra mile and had their hygienic bees tested for viruses - have they got type A, type B or type C?

How great it would be if they were able to say they were locally bred, near native hygienic bees that have type B virus and SIE protection against type A. It might even help us understand whether there is a connection between hygienic behaviour and type B virus (oh no, not that old chestnut again!)

CVB

Amen to that.