Newbie with a question

[sunshinemedic]

Hi all!

I've been lurking on this forum for a few months now and decided it was time to come into the open

Started out with a National hive and a package of bees headed by a Carniolan in June last year. (OK I know now that I should have gone for a local queen but hindsight.....)

Did an inspection today and found 8 frames of bees, brood of all ages across 5-6 frames and 2-3 frames of honey. Still 3 frames with foundation only. I was confused when I found queen cells which appeared empty but I destroyed them just in case.

Could the colony be preparing to swarm already? Seems too early and they seem to have plenty of room still?? I did not find the queen but with the brood present, I assume she's ok?

Any thoughts/ advice?

Confused of Kingston (Surrey)

 

[plumberman]

Bees produce these "play" cups without necessarily meaning that they are going to swarm. If there is a larva/royal jelly present, then they do mean business.

As for too early - all three of my colonies have already been busily starting to produce queens despite young queens/double or brood and a half/plenty of supers, so don't be fooled! Check them regularly......

 

[BKF Admin]

Hi Sunshinemedic,did you have a look in the cells before you destroyed them?
Were they empty or did they have jelly in them?

 

[sunshinemedic]

Thanks for the replies. The QCs were empty. I will stay alert though...

 

[BKF Admin]

They sound like play cups.
Have a read HERE

 

[sunshinemedic]

Just a quick note to complete this thread in case anyone does a search on a similar topic in the future.

The QCs were for real as a week later the Queen Cups has been laid in and had develpoing larvae. I performed an AS but when I checked the nuc with the old queen a couple of weeks later, I found it full of Drone Brood and hardly any worker brood.

My conclusion was that the colony was Superceeding. (Suprising as the Queen was new but maybe the winter had been harsher than I thought???)

Anyway, the colonies are now reunited with a new Queen and all is now well...

 

[oliver90owner]

Suprising as the Queen was new but maybe the winter had been harsher than I thought???)

Absolutely nothing to do with the weather at all. More like a poorly mated queen, for one reason or another.

Think about it. Queen is always tucked up at the centre of the cluster and always above about 20 degrees Celsius, and over 30 when brooding. Drone layer means no sperm available to fetilise the eggs.

Regards, RAB

 

[MuswellMetro]

Suprising as the Queen was new but maybe the winter had been harsher than I thought???)

Absolutely nothing to do with the weather at all. More like a poorly mated queen, for one reason or another.

Think about it. Queen is always tucked up at the centre of the cluster and always above about 20 degrees Celsius, and over 30 when brooding. Drone layer means no sperm available to fetilise the eggs.

Regards, RAB

Sunshinemedic, thanks for the follow up post..always helpful to know what happens

 

[Midland Beek]

Some queen cell cups appear large and elongated, but that doesn't make them queen cells.