New nuc with queen cells

[Susan1]

I have a new nuc which I got about 16th july, it has been transferred into a hive. It is really strong and has a marked and clipped queen. On the third inspection it contained capped queen cells which I removed - the queen was there. On the next inspection, yesterday, there were more queen cells so I closed it up and am trying to decide what to do. I could not see the queen yesterday but did see three day old lava though no eggs. I did not get a really good look for the queen as it started to rain so closed everything up.
If I can find the queen I will do an artificial swarm as it is a really strong hive even though just a relatively new nuc but with this weather I cannot do anything.
My other option is to get rid of the queen cells but I am not to keen to do that until I get a proper look at what is going on - one of the cells could be superceedure but there are about five or six queen cells.
What advice could anyone give me regarding this. Its just that its a new nuc and wasn't really expecting queen cells at all.

 

[Erichalfbee]

How much space is there ?
Drawn space
You won’t have just one supersedure cell and swarm cells together. They will all be swarm cells
Read this about queen cells

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/queen-cells.50866/

 

[enrico]

If you can find the queen put her and a couple of frames in a nuc. Reduce queen cells in main hive to one. That way you keep the old queen just in case. You can get rid of her later if you want once the new queen is up and running and combine or you can let her build. Remember she is a laying queen so she will build fast!

 

[Susan1]

So an artificial swarm then if I can find the queen or even if I cannot find her?

 

[Susan1]

Sorry Enrico posted the second comment before I read your post. All I need now is a bit of good weather.

 

[Erichalfbee]

So an artificial swarm then if I can find the queen or even if I cannot find her?

Nuc the queen leaving one open cell in the original box but be aware that wasps are round the corner

 

[jeff33]

Sorry Enrico posted the second comment before I read your post. All I need now is a bit of good weather.

Get on with it, they may beat you to it at the 1st sight of good weather. If it's raining get someone to stand over with an umbrella.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Get on with it, they may beat you to it at the 1st sight of good weather. If it's raining get someone to stand over with an umbrella.

I've been doing that today, not for swarmy reasons but I agree I would do it sooner rather than later,
If you couldn't see eggs, she may be on her way out the door come next week or gone already.

 

[Ian123]

Even in poor weather if you need to bite the bullet go ahead. I’d very much doubt they are trying to swarm I suspect you have a poor queen and the bees no it! It’s often a case with new queens they’ll fail sooner rather than later. I guess you purchased the nuc? I will often knock the first cells down if it’s a new introduction. If they continue with the idea it’s often a poorly mated queen! Get in and look for eggs in particular even if you can’t find her. If as you suspect no eggs I’d leave a couple of open cells. If you find her and eggs nuc her as others have suggested.

 

[Susan1]

Well checked again and she's definitely not there so did knock down the cells except one. I am surprised the queen has disappeared as she was clipped. The nuc which I did indeed buy from a reputable beekeeper was very strong with loads of brood etc and filled up a brood box really quickly. But hopefully they will be ok.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Well checked again and she's definitely not there so did knock down the cells except one. I am surprised the queen has disappeared as she was clipped. The nuc which I did indeed buy from a reputable beekeeper was very strong with loads of brood etc and filled up a brood box really quickly. But hopefully they will be ok.

sounds like they are a strong colony I'm sure they will be fine if there are drones around.
I was in your situation last season like that you will learn next time to remove the queen to a nuc for next time.
In swarmy season I always carry some of these incase and nuc boxes. I've had to remove 7 queen's to nucs this season.

 

[REDWOOD]

If you knock down queen cells they will make more and cap them off in 5 days. The queen will then fly out of the hive with the swarm, fall to the ground, the bees will return to the hive and wait for for new queens to emerge. Hopefully with one remaining QC they won’t swarm

 

[Susan1]

Thank you for all your advice. I am going to check tomorrow to see how things are going.

 

[Ian123]

Thank you for all your advice. I am going to check tomorrow to see how things are going.

Just be very careful you don’t damage the cell you left. Always a good idea to mark the frame it’s on. Bees will often attach cells to adjacent frames/brace comb.