Queen cups - significant or incidental?

[Stedic]

Went through my 3 hives today. Absolutely lovely experience.

In the first hive I spotted one queen cup - no jelly, no egg, no worries. I removed it because that is what my mentor does. I was unconcerned. In the other hive there were a lot more queen cups. Perhaps 7 or 8 spotted. None of them with jelly, none with eggs, varied distribution across assorted frames.

What I realised I didn't fully understand was the significance of uncharged queen cups/play cells. Does the presence of multiple cells suggest the bees are moving toward swarm preparations? There was a small amount of drone brood in each hive so I guess it isn't entirely out of the question in a week or so.

Also - do people generally think they should they be left or removed?

 

[colinc]

I was told makes no odds if uncharged. Also called playcups. If they want they rebuild them in a day after you remove them and they only mean anything if charged.


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[taurus]

One of my colonies loves making umpteen play cups but there's never been any sign of them developing them. I remove them simply because it's easier to keep track of their antics if I know any present are new ones.

Other of my colonies never do it or do it very rarely. I just know which one has a habit of making lots of them so I don't take them too seriously.

 

[drex]

Uncharged, I take no notice of them at all.