Queen cups

[Mrswilbz]

Hi just looking for a little advice on queen cups, I have been doing my weekly inspections and have 4 queen cups, two on the edge of one frame and two on the bottom of another frame. I have had a good look in and can't see any eggs, or larva they do look shiny inside is this normal or is it a charged cell and requiring AS
Thanks

 

[Rich0909]

Queen cups are often present and not used, even sometimes eggs appear then disappear again, but once you see jelly in the bottom it is AS time. If the cups have appeared recently I would take it as a sign to be very vigilant, don't delay inspections beyond 7 days and remember where the cups are so you can check them and elsewhere.

Rich

 

[Heather]

Maybe initially update your statistics so we know how many hives you have.

Possibilities...
1)They are thinking of swarming perhaps and she has gone off lay prior to that journey
2) Queen is dead and they have made cells to replace her.
3) she is poor queen and they are wanting to replace.

Hard to assess but with sitings of cells it sounds like preswarm. Are they capped cells??

If capped I would split that colony to make them think they have swarmed. Look for the queen again. If present, put her in one hive with about 5 frames from the other hive. Leave 2 good queen cells in the original hive, with loads of stores on the remaining frames.

Put the hive with the queen back on original site and the capped cells hive on another area nearby.
Queenless, just split into 2 hives with 2 cells in each and equal frames also. Fill spaces with new frames.

Just re read, and realise not charged cells. Doh! So as above, keep close watch.
If developing do as above.

 

[Midland Beek]

As comb ages they will construct more and more queen cups on it. They mean nothing ... until there is a developing larvae and royal jelly in them.