Queen laying multiple eggs?

[newbeeinbromley]

Hi Guys and Gals,

I've got a colony with a 2013 queen, and they dwindled over winter, now on 2 frames (4 sides) she's now laying a small brood area, the size of an apple on 2 sides of 1 frame. Some of the comb had 8-10 eggs in! All at the base not on sides.

Question is should I 1) kill queen and combine with another colony or 2) let her be and then requeen when able?

Think best to combine but wondered if anyone else has experienced this?


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[B+.]

Question is should I 1) kill queen and combine with another colony or 2) let her be and then requeen when able?

Think best to combine but wondered if anyone else has experienced this?

Is the queen marked so that you know it is definitely the 2013 queen?
The reason I ask is this sort of behaviour (multiple eggs in a cell) is more typical of a newly mated queens just getting started.
If she is reluctant to expand the nest beyond a very small area, it may be that she is damaged/injured in some way (e.g. leg or antennae) and the best solution is to replace the queen. I had a queen with a damaged leg a couple of years ago and she kept going around in circles.
Whatever you decide to do (combine or requeen) it is best to do it as soon as possible while the colony is still large enough to be viable.

 

[Eyeman]

Question is should I 1) kill queen and combine with another colony or 2) let her be and then requeen when able?

I take the opposite view to B+.
I've had 3 dwindlers this year and one was just like yours with the Q laying multiple eggs in a small patch of brood. She was clipped so was definitely last years queen.
If your seeing multiple eggs in cells then this suggests the queen is ready to expand but there are either insufficient workers, diseased workers or the environment is not conducive to expansion.
I would save the queen by putting her in a nuc and get rid if the small numbers of bees, perhaps checking them for nosema if you have a microscope.

 

[B+.]

If your seeing multiple eggs in cells then this suggests the queen is ready to expand but there are either insufficient workers, diseased workers or the environment is not conducive to expansion.

I am just not sure if it is the queen or the workers (or even the location) to blame. At this time of year, there is so much in flower that I doubt it is the location.

 

[newbeeinbromley]

She def marked red, really big, lovely queen. I'll give her a fresh drawn comb frame today and see how she lays over the weekend. Then I guess I'll know if it's her or the colony? I'll keep you posted.


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[Nige.Coll]

check for nosema.