Superceding?

[Suzi Q]

Looks like the bees have given up with the cell on the left, the royal jelly is pitted where the bees have nibbled at it, the centre cell is capped, and the one on the right has a 1-2 day old larva. Only 3 cells, in bottom brood box. Should I leave them to it, or A/S?
2012 queen; perhaps going double brood a few weeks ago was too much to ask from an aging queen?

 

[Midland Beek]

If it were my, I probably wouldn't bother doing anything. Some would perhaps destroy all three queen cells because they look weedy and in entirely the wrong place to produce good queens. Note that supersedure can sometimes result in swarming.

 

[beeno]

Hi Suzi Q,
Seems to me that you are not convinced that double brood was the right thing to do. My colonies are not strong enough for that at the moment. If it were me, I would go back to single brood box for the time being and tear the QC down. Maybe not enough queen substance to go around?

 

[Suzi Q]

If it were my, I probably wouldn't bother doing anything. Some would perhaps destroy all three queen cells because they look weedy and in entirely the wrong place to produce good queens. Note that supersedure can sometimes result in swarming.

Are Qcells on the wooden frame not good then? I must have took the pics at an angle, they are a goodly length, not pipsqueaks.

 

[Suzi Q]

Beeno, just about everything in beekeeping I'm thinking is this the right thing to do! After 3+ years I have my head stuffed with so many techniques, methods, and ways of doing things I can't make up my mind! I hope to get to the point soon where I can choose what works for me and stick to it.
I may put in an exc between boxes, destroy the cells, and take off bottom box when brood has emerged.

 

[dn170221]

Hi,
I am a relative newbie so that is where my question is coming from!
Is it not possible that they are setting up for swarming?

 

[whoosling]

Don't know about your problem but the pics are great.

 

[Suzi Q]

Hi,
I am a relative newbie so that is where my question is coming from!
Is it not possible that they are setting up for swarming?

Swarm cells tend to be on the bottom of the frames and many more than 2/3 cells. Although as MB points out bees can swarm leaving behind supercedure cells, or so I've been told!

 

[richardbees]

Suzi Q

Thanks for the great pics.....although I'm not sure of orientation.

imho too tacky to be a swarm cell, maybe a drone cell at an unusual angle?= I routinely scrape-off this sort of cell during weekly inspections.

You can't miss when they start building swarm cells - they suddenly appear between one inspection and the next - usually along indents in the side of the comb or in clusters on the bottom of the comb - not attached to the wood..

Supercedure cells are unmissable....ime more towards the middle of the comb and the bees recess the comb behind it so they look really big.

richard

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