New queen mostly laying drone

[slangers]

I have a colony with a new queen which emerged from an emergency queen cell about 5 weeks ago. I was pleased to note that she was laying about 10 days ago, but on inspection today it looks as though she is predominantly laying drone.

Moreover, on one of the frames there are two sealed queen cells which look to me like supersedure cells (two together in the centre of frame). Any thoughts or advice welcome.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Remove her and the "Queen Cells" and re-queen with a mated queen

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Remove her and the "Queen Cells" and re-queen with a mated queen

Or unite with another - or if you can't find the queen - shake them out

 

[enrico]

Or unite with another - or if you can't find the queen - shake them out

you can't trust her or the queen cells
E

 

[Thymallus]

Seems to be a happening a lot this cold spring. Had three so far, 2 total drone layers, one mainly drone and odd normal worker.

 

[slangers]

Why would the queen cells be a problem? I am guessing that this queen didn't mate properly because of the really bad weather we had when she should have been on mating flights.

 

[Swarm]

Why would the queen cells be a problem? I am guessing that this queen didn't mate properly because of the really bad weather we had when she should have been on mating flights.

If nothing else think about the time involved. The new queen has to emerge and go off on her nuptial flights before she even begins to lay, the season will be almost over and who is to say the whole scenario won't be repeated? The long term weather doesn't appear to promise much.
Far better to have a known quantity IMO.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

and can you be sure that the queen cell has a larva from a fertilised egg? ladyboy queens are no use to anyone she's no good - get rid

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I have a colony with a new queen which emerged from an emergency queen cell about 5 weeks ago. I was pleased to note that she was laying about 10 days ago, but on inspection today it looks as though she is predominantly laying drone.

Moreover, on one of the frames there are two sealed queen cells which look to me like supersedure cells (two together in the centre of frame). Any thoughts or advice welcome.

Since you have other hives to work with I'd shake them out instead of wasting time and the bees efforts. Sealed cells tell you nothing about what is inside them. I've had to shake out two hives this year but looking on the bright side it frees up kit for swarm collection or other (planned) expansion.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Since you have other hives to work with I'd shake them out instead of wasting time and the bees efforts. Sealed cells tell you nothing about what is inside them. I've had to shake out two hives this year but looking on the bright side it frees up kit for swarm collection or other (planned) expansion.

Far less faff and aggravation

 

[slangers]

So this shaking out then. I shake the hive boxes out into something else through the excluder? Locate the queen and then unite the bees with another hive? Never done this.

 

[slangers]

Right- have looked this up now and think I understand. What if I can't find the queen before I do the shake out. What do I do then?

I have tried the sandwich method and just sifted through the whole brood box with an excluder on the bottom. No sign of queen at all (but lots of very annoyed workers). I am pretty sure I am not looking a drone laying workers here- the drone cells are all in the centre of the nest and evenly spaced out, so they've definitely come from a queen. But where is she?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

the best thing to do is to take the hive ten or more yards away preferably in front of the other hives) and also remove all evidence of the hive, stand etc at the original site take each frame and vigorously shake out all the bees onto the floor then take the brood box frames etc away from the apiary (doesn't have to be far, just away from the spot where the hive was and where the shaking out was done) all the bees will then, when they find their old home has disappeared, beg their way into other hives - the queen will perish.

 

[slangers]

Thanks. And should I put the brood comb into other hives, or dispose of it?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It would depend - how much brood is there, how much is drone how old the comb, how much of a mess is it? I shook out a nuc last week which had a fair patch of drone in worker comb, the rest of the comb wqs good so I put it into a hive i was just putting a nuc into, but some is so bad i think 'what's the point?'