Supercedure already? - why

[Tony b]

I collected a very small cast swarm on the 25th April. The bees have always been a bit tetchy compared to my other two hives but not really aggressive.

After a few weeks I still hadn't found the queen so I donated a frame of brood from my other good hive but then shortly after that the queen appeared - maybe every time I looked before she was out on a mating flight.

Since I caught the swarm they have now built out over 4 frames, ive only given them 6 frames in-between false sides at the moment, the frames have plenty of larva so the queen is obviously laying well.

but yesterday I found this? - why would they be doing this when it seems a she is a good laying queen (albeit tetchy bees), im only assuming she was a virgin Q when I caught her as the swarm was tiny!!

Theyre uncapped at the moment but have larva..

 

[mjt68]

I collected a very small cast swarm on the 25th April. The bees have always been a bit tetchy compared to my other two hives but not really aggressive.

After a few weeks I still hadn't found the queen so I donated a frame of brood from my other good hive but then shortly after that the queen appeared - maybe every time I looked before she was out on a mating flight.

Since I caught the swarm they have now built out over 4 frames, ive only given them 6 frames in-between false sides at the moment, the frames have plenty of larva so the queen is obviously laying well.

but yesterday I found this? - why would they be doing this when it seems a she is a good laying queen (albeit tetchy bees), im only assuming she was a virgin Q when I caught her as the swarm was tiny!!

Theyre uncapped at the moment but have larva..

The new queen could be damaged or the bees are otherwise unhappy. They may be getting ready to swarm though - do they have enough space? The frame in the picture seems to be quite full of stores and there's a flow on at the moment.

 

[Tony b]

yes loads of space, they've only built up 4 frames so far, theres 2 spare and I could take out the false sides and give them all the other empty frames if I wanted.

the other 3 frames have loads of capped brood - just this one is mainly stores

 

[dn170221]

Does the Queen have room to lay?
Are the unused frames foundation?

 

[Tony b]

yes loads of room, the spare 2 are just foundation but the 4 are built up comb

 

[mjt68]

You haven't fed them have you?

 

[Tony b]

You haven't fed them have you?

Yes, as they were small and I put them on Foundation I've been feeding them ever since I put them in the hive

 

[drex]

3 drawn frames of brood, 1 drawn frame of stores, 2 foundation. The queen has no room to lay as there is no empty drawn comb. I trust on the flow to provide enough for my colonies needs, even when frame drawing. If you feel you must feed then little and often. If you give them loads they draw the comb then fill it with syrup. Bees only draw comb when they need it, not because you want a nice full box of drawn comb. From your pics I would check your frame spacing.
More bees would help as in adding a frame of soon to emerge brood, or a smaller box.

 

[beeno]

Size of swarm is not always a good yardstick for it being a cast. I collected a very small swarm last year headed by a big fat queen and she laid within two days. Also, collected a small swarm headed by a extremely big fat Cordovan queen the week before last and she laid as soon as comb was available. It is not unusual for a swarm headed by the old queen to requeen themselves pretty soon after being hived.

 

[Millet]

Size of swarm is not always a good yardstick for it being a cast. I collected a very small swarm last year headed by a big fat queen and she laid within two days. Also, collected a small swarm headed by a extremely big fat Cordovan queen the week before last and she laid as soon as comb was available. It is not unusual for a swarm headed by the old queen to requeen themselves pretty soon after being hived.

My hive swarmed last year after a failed pagdan artificial swarm, it was headed by my old original Blue Queen that went into one of my bait hives, the swarm was tiny and it will have been lucky if it covered two full frames.

 

[mjt68]

I'd be cautious and think that any QCs before midsummer is a precursor to swarming and treat appropriately.