Supercedure in April?

[ShinySideUp]

I did an inspection today and found in one hive a sealed queen cell. I automatically destroyed it thinking I'll split the hive in a couple of days and only as the inspection went on I realised that it was the only queen cell. The bees had obviously not swarmed as the hive was rammed and I put a super on immediately. There were eggs and larvae but I didn't see the queen.

I didn't think supercedure took place at this time of year but I'm regretting destroying the cell, I think I should have left it alone. Opinions?

 

[Finman]

Buy a laying queen.

 

[Brigsy]

I'm in the same situation with an older queen. Got a new queen coming next week.

 

[Monkey]

I did an inspection today and found in one hive a sealed queen cell. I automatically destroyed it thinking I'll split the hive in a couple of days and only as the inspection went on I realised that it was the only queen cell. The bees had obviously not swarmed as the hive was rammed and I put a super on immediately. There were eggs and larvae but I didn't see the queen.

I've just had exactly the same experience, except I didn't destroy the queen cell. It was my intention to split the hive today, but without finding the queen, I'm at a bit of a loss. I had to close it up in the end as I'd been searching for so long the bees were getting a bit too attentive.

I will try and go back later today for another go.

 

[Stedic]

I have just returned from mine, very puzzled, having found exactly the same thing.

I decided to leave the cell as, worst case scenario, I lose a prime swarm but no casts. Very odd though.

 

[4sausagedogs]

My queen has also vanished. No queen cells or swarming.
Glad she has gone, she was the devil queen! ��

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Buy a laying queen.

I'm in the same situation with an older queen. Got a new queen coming next week.

Looks like this year's first batch of queens off to an untimely early death.

 

[birdsandbees]

I have a number of colonies doing this at the moment!

I've never seen it before, literally a couple of queen cells on face of the brood comb, classic Supersedure positioning rather than swarm mode, I had one that I think Superseded early this spring, ended up with a Drone layer

I still don't trust them.. sneaky devils they are! so made sure the queens were clipped.

 

[Monkey]

I wouldn't be surprised if mine were thinking about swarming, the hive is very full, and the bees are queuing up to get in at the moment.

But supercedure surprises me; the queen is a good layer, loads of eggs and larvae on the comb, and she's only a 2017 queen.

I think the hot Easter, followed by much cooler weather might be causing a bit of havoc. I am new to this though, so that's just a guess.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

classic Supersedure positioning rather than swarm mode,

Unfortunately we seem have these self professed so called 'experts' who keep banging on about 'classic' cell locations for supersedure/swarming (and even think that posting a photograph of one is proof positive!!)
No such thing, but still people get sucked on by their misinformation

 

[Etton]

I had the same today, with the bees moved to make one queen cell. My move was to destroy it as loads of brood and eggs. Their move next!

 

[madasafish]

I have had there hives supercede from August lat year to now.
The Queen Cell was about 4cms from the bottom of the comb in all cases..

 

[Curly green fingers]

I have had there hives supercede from August lat year to now.
The Queen Cell was about 4cms from the bottom of the comb in all cases..

I've had two since last April , the first was on frame 3 from the left bottom brood box but about the same height from the bottom of the comb .(April 20th 2018).
And the second again in the bottom brood box on frame 4 from the left but this cell was central on the frame ( June 7th 2018).
Both hives had unknown age of queen's previously.

 

[For want of a better word]

Unfortunately we seem have these self professed so called 'experts' who keep banging on about 'classic' cell locations for supersedure/swarming (and even think that posting a photograph of one is proof positive!!)
No such thing, but still people get sucked on by their misinformation

The voice of our local self proclaimed master beekeeper........ ***
AND... seeing eggs and not finding a queen may mean she swarmed off up to 3 days previously..........

Chons da

 

[jeff33]

I have had bees swarming with 1 capped queen cell in the middle of the frame, bees swarming with uncapped cells and bees swarming with 10+ queen cells.....supercedure over the winter, spring and fall. There is no classic or given in beekeeping.

The idea of knocking down cells without understanding what is going on in the hive or thinking that it's going to solve problems is also misinformation.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have had bees swarming with 1 capped queen cell in the middle of the frame, bees swarming with uncapped cells and bees swarming with 10+ queen cells.....supercedure over the winter, spring and fall. There is no classic or given in beekeeping.

The idea of knocking down cells without understanding what is going on in the hive or thinking that it's going to solve problems is also misinformation.

>Like<

 

[Brigsy]

Looks like this year's first batch of queens off to an untimely early death.

I don't see the point in writing this. I've only ever been polite on this forum and with you. You have been helpful in the past to me.

If you have a helpful point to assist me and others why not make it? Taking swipes and not offering help or obvious things I may have missed is pointless.

Unless you are just posting to be nasty. If so. Kindly refrain.

Why be on here if not to share knowledge and passion?

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

I don't see the point in writing this. I've only ever been polite on this forum and with you. You have been helpful in the past to me.

If you have a helpful point to assist me and others why not make it? Taking swipes and not offering help or obvious things I may have missed is pointless.

Unless you are just posting to be nasty. If so. Kindly refrain.

Why be on here if not to share knowledge and passion?

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

I couldn't agree more - well said.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

listen to the both of you clutching your handbags and putting on a nature of offence.
Read through the thread. More than one person implying that the correct action would be to chuck a new queen in.
With no real evidence that the old one has gone.
If that isn't shait advice what is?
If you only come on here to take offence at every imagined slight - why bother?

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

listen to the both of you clutching your handbags and putting on a nature of offence.
Read through the thread. More than one person implying that the correct action would be to chuck a new queen in.
With no real evidence that the old one has gone.
If that isn't shait advice what is?
If you only come on here to take offence at every imagined slight - why bother?

I wasn't agreeing with the bad advice JBM, just agreeing that your comment wasn't helpful. You are clearly a very experienced keeper and could offer good advice and correction - as you often do. Tonight you didn't- it was just a dismissive swipe.