queen cell almost capped

[danthehat]

Hello All,

Just found about 10 play cups and one nice long queen cell that is almost completely sealed. There is just the smallest of gaps that is about 5mm wide.

I have panicked and removed the cell and the play cups in the hope of buying myself a couple of days to get my artificial swarm stuff together.

I cant find the queen, but then again i always struggle to find her and I dont appear to have lost any bees. So, have i saved the day or have I been a plonker?

Dan

 

[yeogi75]

could be supercedure rather than swarm cell, where on the coombe was it

 

[Erichalfbee]

Did you spot eggs?
Also have a look here
http://www.wbka.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/There-Are-Queen-Cells-In-My-Hive-WBKA-WAG.pdf
You don't need much kit for an emergency AS. An eke on a solid board with a slot for an entrance, two supers and a pice of ply with a brick on top for a roof would do for a day.

 

[danthehat]

Definately swarm cells. They were hanging off the bottom and a thousand times more frightening than any pictures i had ever seen. Yes, we spotted eggs too but not a huge amount. We have plenty of sealed brood but not much unsealed which is a worry.

Got my spare gear out the loft and ready for action tomorrow. Lets hope i have not ruined everything. Cheers for the link ericA.

 

[Poly Hive]

Play cups mean nothing. A blay cup is the size of your finger tip and is EMPTY.

One charged cell which is to say it has royal jelly in it and a grub is a statement of supercedure. So does roughly up to 6 or so. Normally in the middle of the comb.

Lots of charged cells round the edges of the combs means swarming.

How many frames of brood has the colony and do they have room to expand? What hive are they in?

PH

 

[beeno]

Definately swarm cells. They were hanging off the bottom and a thousand times more frightening than any pictures i had ever seen. Yes, we spotted eggs too but not a huge amount. We have plenty of sealed brood but not much unsealed which is a worry.

Got my spare gear out the loft and ready for action tomorrow. Lets hope i have not ruined everything. Cheers for the link ericA.

They have still got eggs to make emergency cells from, so you have not ruined everything. Don't tear them down if you got any this time you may need them if the queen is gone!

 

[danthehat]

Hmmm? Not sure what to make of this now? So, after tearing down everything that looked like a queen cell on wednesday i returned on friday to perform an AS. I could not find the queen at all so resorted to adding another brood box on top and swapping a few frames of sealed brood from the old box with some new frames of foundation from the new.

i was attempting to convince the colony they had got a huge extension and did not need to swarm anymore.

Today i have found a lovely sealed queen cell hanging off the bottom of one frame, several charged cups nearby and a sealed supersedure cell hanging off the middle of another frame. i must have missed them during my queen cull. Fingers crossed they are just trying to superseed the elusive one.

Dan

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Today i have found a lovely sealed queen cell hanging off the bottom of one frame, several charged cups nearby and a sealed supersedure cell hanging off the middle of another frame. i must have missed them during my queen cull. Fingers crossed they are just trying to superseed the elusive one.

Dan

Why do you think they are trying to supersede?
You had one 'warning' did you try and find the queen then? and if so, did you find her?
you've gone in again and there's QC's all over the place, no sign of queenie and you think they're trying to supersede.
Is there any open brood or eggs?
My thoughts are she'd gone first time you looked, or if not, soon after.
You shouldn't listen to those who take the position of the QC as a definite indicator of whether it's supersedure or swarming. There may have been one cell in the middle of the frame (which means nothing) but also loads scattered about elsewhere (which means swarming)

 

[mjt68]

Hmmm? Not sure what to make of this now? So, after tearing down everything that looked like a queen cell on wednesday i returned on friday to perform an AS. I could not find the queen at all so resorted to adding another brood box on top and swapping a few frames of sealed brood from the old box with some new frames of foundation from the new.

i was attempting to convince the colony they had got a huge extension and did not need to swarm anymore.

Today i have found a lovely sealed queen cell hanging off the bottom of one frame, several charged cups nearby and a sealed supersedure cell hanging off the middle of another frame. i must have missed them during my queen cull. Fingers crossed they are just trying to superseed the elusive one.

Dan

Any eggs?

Find the queen. Take as long as you need, but assure yourself that she is or isn't in residence. If she is, AS immediately. If not, reduce to one open cell and leave alone.

If you didn't find her last week she could have gone then. If it was a good enough day to inspect they might have gone that morning. Sealed cells is high alert time. If you see that and swarming was their intent, more likely than not to have gone.

Why do you think they are trying to supersede?
You had one 'warning' did you try and find the queen then? and if so, did you find her?
you've gone in again and there's QC's all over the place, no sign of queenie and you think they're trying to supersede.
Is there any open brood or eggs?
My thoughts are she'd gone first time you looked, or if not, soon after.
You shouldn't listen to those who take the position of the QC as a definite indicator of whether it's supersedure or swarming. There may have been one cell in the middle of the frame (which means nothing) but also loads scattered about elsewhere (which means swarming)

queen cells are queen cells. They might start with one and then next time you look there's a dozen. When you've got a lot of experience (lots of colonies over many years) you might be able to accurately guess if swarming or supersedure but until then, AS when you see cells. I always take the gear to do necessary manipulation with me. By the time you've found cells, closed up, and gone and got the gear the weather might have changed or life might have gotten in the way.

 

[danthehat]

There are still eggs but less than wednesday and not the standy up, freshly laid type. My guess is that she has gone so I dont think they are superseding, was just hoping.

Will definately take the advice to treat all QC with potential of swarming. Thanks.

Going to spend the afternoon practicing my queen finding technique. Either in the hive or hanging off one of my neighbours trees.

 

[Cussword]

hanging off one of my neighbours trees.

Good one.