Queen Cells In New Nuc

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Friar Tuck

House Bee
Joined
May 30, 2010
Messages
316
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Location
Wiltshire
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
3
Hi i have my Nuc now for Nr a month, this is the second real inspection, Wow what a lot of bees now!! they have dawn out nearly all the frames in the brood box. Time for a super defiantly. But I found three (what i believe to be queen cells).

What should i do about them?
Is my hive going to swarm?
 
First of all - don't panic. These look like what are termed "play" cells, and are perfectly normal under the circumstances ( Bees produce them all the time!). There does not appear to be anything in them like eggs, larvae and royal jelly ( you may need to confirm that), and as long as that is the case, you need do nothing more.

PS - I assume you mean definitely rather than defiantly! :D
 
Time for a super defiantly.

I will second plumbermans reply, not true queen cells, nothing in them, dont worry.

But I would question "time for super", yes they might have drawn out all the other frames, but what is in them?

Suppering usualy when 8 or 9 frames of brood.

TBH I would say that you should be concentrating on building up a strong colony for the winter rather than trying to get a few jars of honey off.
 
But I would question "time for super", yes they might have drawn out all the other frames, but what is in them?

I thought he said "nuc".

If you have a Nuc of Bees it is time you had them in a hive on 11 frames. There is not alot of space in a Nuc for a growing colony espically when coming into July.

If the Nuc is bursting with bees you could be giving them no option but to swarm.

Busy Bee
 
Can i see an egg in the far right cup ? Or do i need glasses ?.
In fact if you blow up the image looks like all 3 have an egg.
 
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Hi i have my Nuc now for Nr a month......... they have dawn out nearly all the frames in the brood box.

I thought he said "nuc".


OP needs to confirm, but I read it that the OP got the nuc a month ago, I then (assume) added direct to std brood body with sai extra foundation, hence "They have drawn out nearly all the frames"
 
Your picture shows queen cell cups. Not queen cells.

If the queen lays in these and the bees are intent on colony reproduction, you get queen cells develop. Otherwise, the eggs are destroyed.
 
Yes I have had the Nuc a month. transferred into a standard national brood box, added foundation + 2 dummy boards. Now the bees have dawn out all the frames the is brood in all stages through out and the end frame is stores full of honey. I have been feeding the bees with syrup to help them draw out the comb. Could i put another brood frame in where the dummy boards are?
Think im gonna need the super to give them more space as it's pretty chocker in there ;o)

Thanks for all your help :D
 
Stop feeding them, or they'll fill all available cells with it, then the queen won't have any where to lay, and you'll possibly lose a swarm. Add the super, with a queen excluder, and stop feeding!!
 
Hey tonybloke, have added super and will stop feeding:lurk5:

thanks
 
Please take out the two dummy boards and replace with foundation. Ease out two frames on both sides and pop in the foundation. A plus 2.

When they are on 7 frames of the super consider supering again.

Enjoy your bees.

PH
 
Nice one Poly Will do tonight.

I enjoy and love my bees :cheers2:
 
going to stop feeding but my crown board has a hole in it, a big ish round one lol. I gather i need to cover it up to stop bees from entering the roof as it is gabled? whats best to cover it with?:smash:
 
A scrap of slate, or card with plastic tape on it, or a pice of plastic cut from a margerine lid?

I don't thing that it matters as long as it's non toxic.

Ian
 

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