Question about play cups

[Illo]

Some advice required if you please...

Having hived a swarm in mid June, we have a rapidly growing colony in a standard national BB. Just added first super, sprayed with sugar syrup to encourage some interest in drawing the new foundation. All BB frames bar one are fully drawn, and of them, 6-7 have sealed brood. much, though not all of the remainder, is stores. The hive is looking pretty full, and last inspection was the middle of a sunny day, so many of the ladies would have been out. It's not bursting at the seams though.

In our last inspection on Saturday, we found that the bees had built a number of what I think were play cups (small acorn-cup sized, slightly curved in at the top) a few in the middle of the comb and some at the bottom of the frames; no eggs or larvae in them that we could see.

The question is, do we need to be concerned by this? To what extent are these things a precursor of swarming behaviour? We plan to go in again on Wednesday to check that all is well, the reckoning being that if they are occupied, it will be obvious by then. Equally if they are morphing into queen cells, that will be equally obvious. Are we being unduly cautious? I'm fairly confident that this is pretty normal, but these are the first we've seen, and some advice around what to do (or not to do), if anything, would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

LJ

 

[MrB]

I often find play cups in the hives and used to destroy them, now i don't bother.
I just make sure they don't contain larvae and royal jelly! although that might be easier to see into them as you destroy them.
if they are empty, not much to worry about IMHO

 

[drstitson]

play cups are just that. only need to act if occupied.

may just be due to that fact that HM is too busy laying to meander around the edges of frames etc and hence pheromones lacking there.

 

[keithgrimes]

Play cups are not something to worry about if they have no eggs or larvae. Your description is accurate. Queen cells (either swarm or supercedure are quite different in appearance. Longer and with a rougher outer surface. Obviously you need to keep an eye out but you will do this in your inspections. If you hived the swarm in June and its now late July, I would think it improbable that you would get a swarm now. Note I said improbable,not impossible, a friend of mine had three only last week.

 

[Pezza]

Hi Illo,

I have the same with one of my hives, never anything in them!
Once I have found the queen I just break them down.
They sound ok to me, stop worrying just enjoy them.

Pezza

 

[Elaine]

We did a quick inspection this evening to see how full the supers were getting - and found a play cup attached to the bottom of one of the frames!

Also a small amount of free comb - but they still have some un-drawn, or incompletely drawn frames. I don't want to put another super on too soon, when they still have work to do with what they have.

 

[MuswellMetro]

play cups themselves are not a problem but start to worry if old play cups have flecks of new white wax over them, the more white fleck the nearer they are to using the play cup as a QC

if you notice these fleck they are starting to prepare to extended and re polish them for eggs

 

[Midland Beek]

Queen cell cups mean nuffin. Better that comb has them than not, or else you cannot get supersedure.

 

[onriver]

I'd agree - IMHO play cups are inevitable and not a concern in themselves, certainly not worth disturbing the colony twice in a week to check - what about waiting for your usual 7 day inspection?

 

[Illo]

Thanks everyone for the responses. We will stop worrying, and go in on Saturday as per normal.

LJ.

 

[Vergilius]

Queen cell cups mean nuffin. Better that comb has them than not, or else you cannot get supersedure.

Ben P