Single part torn-down queen cell

[Jack Straw]

First inspection of season 3rd April
Second inspection 17th April

I inspected one of my colonies on 3rd April. There were fewer bees than in the adjacent hive but all seemed well. There was some BIAS - 2 circles of about 5 inch diameter on two frames. There was plenty of empty drawn foundation, space and stores. I did not notice any new queens cells

I went to see them on 10th April but the weather changed from about 14 degrees when I left home to about 12 degrees with a stiffening breeze when I got to the apiary and so I simply hefted (okay) and left

I inspected on 17th April. There were about the same number of bees, there was some sealed brood peppered with empty cells in the pattern, there were no eggs or unsealed brood. There were a couple of play cups, a queen cell which was left over from last year and a queen cell with the side part torn-down revealing a dead queen pupa inside. I would guess she was 9/10 days developed. There was no other obvious full or empty queen cells

My initial reaction is that I missed a queen cell in my first inspection, they have swarmed and the first emerging virgin has killed the queen pupa.
That the remaining bees have torn down the used queen cell

Whatever has happened I am concerned that any virgin queen is unlikely to mate satisfactorily. Within the apiary of 7 colonies there are no (or at most very few) drones and the weather has not been great. Some good days but a number of bad ones too. Unless I buy from abroad, and I am not keen, I do not think I will be able to purchase a mated queen.

Comments and suggestions as to the best next move would be appreciated

 

[Finman]

.
Best move is that you get now a laying queen abroad, and change it later when you get better queens. Otherwise your big work to over winter the colony is for nothing.

 

[BeeJayBee]

My initial reaction is that I missed a queen cell in my first inspection, they have swarmed and the first emerging virgin has killed the queen pupa.
That the remaining bees have torn down the used queen cell

Or the old queen has been superseded. There are drones around, so it might be a case of wait and see.

If you do decide to buy in a queen current advice is to buy local, not imports, but it's obviously up to you.

 

[Finman]

Or the old queen has been superseded. There are drones around, so it might be a case of wait and see.....

Question is not about drones. They are enough in hives. But when you look forecast of Kent next 14 days, highest day temps are about 10C. It is too far from 20C day temps what are needed for 3 days mating flights

Wait and see is expencive method. First task in spring is to get colonies to foraging confition.

 

[Cazza]

I find it very hard to believe that there has been a swarm this early in this particular season. Happy to be proven wrong. Too cold for mating in any case.
Test frame and new queen if needed as per Finman.
Cazza

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

I had three colony's on the rape with q-cells about a day off being sealed this was last Saturday a lot of drones in the hives also.

 

[user 6228]

A torn down cell can mean a failed coup d'état and not a swarm or a supercedure

 

[BeeJayBee]

I find it very hard to believe that there has been a swarm this early in this particular season.

Same here, because it's too cold, but I've already heard reports of several swarms so it isn't impossible.