Queen cells

[JonnyPicklechin]

Just performed a full inspection and found (what I think are) about 6 queen cells in various places in the hive. Generally they were either on on the top of the frame (as shown in two cases attached) and also two in the middle of the frames. I picked the one that looks like peanut on the top of the frame and hada look inside and there was a "cooked grain of rice" larva in there.

1. I am a newbie backyard beek with one hive.
2. I lost a swarm last year having been on vacation and missing cell watch.
3. I have read Wally Shaw's information on this topic and these cells look like supesedures to me. But...

Anyway, I could do with a little hand holding...Thanks much

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwYCKpSbC453a2Y2dGZ2ZVYwOEk/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwYCKpSbC453cmZUZVRDYVVFMmc/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwYCKpSbC453WmJvNm0wQ2FNM1U/view?usp=sharing

 

[colinc]

6 scattered around sounds like swarm prep. Any royal jelly in that cup? Is your queen clipped? If you left them check again in a few days but suspect you need to be doing an artificial swarm shortly or risk losing a swarm. If you plan to stay on one hive you can always re combine the hives in a few weeks or later in the year.


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[colinc]

Also looks like you have a very well populated hive there.


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[jenkinsbrynmair]

Multiple QC's regardless of location = Swarming - A/S ASAP

 

[Swarm]

Multiple QC's regardless of location = Swarming - A/S ASAP

Especially at this time.

 

[thomaso123t]

I'd say that Q cells at the top of the frame or in the middle of a frame are indication of Supersedure. This is a typical indication when bees have decided to replace an old queen for any reason. Swarm cells are typically located at the bottom of a frame. Saying that it is swarming season so mix of two may happen.
Should you have many bees in the hive try to create more space by i.e. Demaree method and replace the queen. Should your old queen was "defective" removing q cells would not help as bees will probably remove her anyway.

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

6 scattered around sounds like swarm prep. Any royal jelly in that cup? Is your queen clipped? If you left them check again in a few days but suspect you need to be doing an artificial swarm shortly or risk losing a swarm.

Hi Colin...(Have done prolific reading last night and this morning)

Shes not clipped.

Yes, there was a small amount of substance but not much.

I figured it might be best to leave the colony until Friday then locate the queen and transfer her with some frames of brood and food to a nucleus.

Should I remove all cups on Friday and then watch again for new ones in 7-8 days? Or do removal except one (or two, ensuring I then remove on the next inspection) now?

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

I'd say that Q cells at the top of the frame or in the middle of a frame are indication of Supersedure. This is a typical indication when bees have decided to replace an old queen for any reason. Swarm cells are typically located at the bottom of a frame. Saying that it is swarming season so mix of two may happen.
Should you have many bees in the hive try to create more space by i.e. Demaree method and replace the queen. Should your old queen was "defective" removing q cells would not help as bees will probably remove her anyway.

Hi Thomas - the factors do point to supersedure but given the season I dont want to risk it. I was reading Cushman's notes and his suggested Wakeman method is to remove all the cells and watch again in 7 days for more cup making activity. But I figured if I remove the old queen to a nucleus, watch for cups and then allow just the one I would be covered in both cases.

I now have two standard brood boxes and three supers and could add a fourth so could watch for more honey production during the queen transition to make sure I am accommodating them.

 

[colinc]

Hi Colin...(Have done prolific reading last night and this morning)



Shes not clipped.



Yes, there was a small amount of substance but not much.



I figured it might be best to leave the colony until Friday then locate the queen and transfer her with some frames of brood and food to a nucleus.



Should I remove all cups on Friday and then watch again for new ones in 7-8 days? Or do removal except one (or two, ensuring I then remove on the next inspection) now?

I tried cup removal to buy time but my hive swarmed before I returned. Once you have decided to split do it. Waiting may be ok but if not you will kick yourself. Move laying queen into BB with space and stores especially if eggs absent. Fliers and swarm driving scouts return to old queenless hive and await a queen. Reducing cell numbers reduces chance of losing casts. Hope that virgin queen emerging doesn't leave in a cast. If you were to remove all QC make sure you have some eggs in there as they need a queen not a laying worker. Brood break should calm swarm fever in hive on original site raising new queen.


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[colinc]

If this results in a queenless hive like you say you have the laying queen to put back in a few weeks. If it was supercedure she won't slim down to fly but will keep laying


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[beeno]

I tried cup removal to buy time but my hive swarmed before I returned.

Do bear in mind that when tearing down queen cells it sometimes spurs the bees to make emergency QC, so that they can be off in 4-5 days if they make a QC from one or two day old larva. So, you cannot really wait until next 7 days inspection.

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

I'm going to go in this evening and find HM, add her to the NUC and remove all but one QC.

Given I did a full inspection yesterday, they seem very agitated. All sorts of guard bees bombing anything that moves within a few feet. Assume I am expecting lots of anger this evening? (Ive never made two dissembles so close together).

I guess they will be even meaner tomorrow with no queen? Or does the swarm effect not bother them when they go queenless?

 

[colinc]

I wish you luck. Guess you will find out. They will always keep us guessing but may be temperature at moment annoying them rather than just inspections. It is cooler than last week


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