supercedure question

[menteth]

Hi everyone,
I have a hive (national). It swarmed last week, (and I caught the swarm & they're doing well).
I opened the old hive 2 days ago- There are 6 capped queen cells getting close to hatching.
Shall I leave them all be?
OR Shall I get rid of them all except 1 (someone has suggested leave the strongest). IF so, how do I know which is strongest?
I'd hate to have relentless swarming.
What shall I do?
Thanks all

 

[oliver90owner]

There are 6 capped queen cells getting close to hatching.
Shall I leave them all be?

No. They could throw five casts! Simple maths that!

Reduce to two - the best looking and with 'ripe' tips and hope they don't throw a cast, or take a chance with just the one cell.

Very simple really.

 

[Winker]

I'm a chancer I leave only one queen cell. 90% of the time it works out ok, but the other 10% when it does not got to plan, well that's a real bummer.

The other choice is to knock them both down and buy in a mated queen

 

[thebhoy]

If they are close to hatching / emerging I would make up a mating hive with a cupful of bees, cut out the ones you don't want....cut through the comb to make sure you get everything ...be gentle enough not to damage them...sharp blade
Put them in 'hair rollers' and pop into the mating hive....if close enough to emergence and not damaged you should get a few queens and, if in a roller, you can then decide what to do with them.
I have done that and also brought some indoors to hatch out it a little plastic container....was good watching them and even better when they get mated and start laying up.

I did make the mistake a couple of years ago of leaving two cells....they swarmed and also a cast swarm.....left with very little bees and had to buy in a new queen

Just my penny's worth

 

[TOBY-3652]

I'm a chancer I leave only one queen cell. 90% of the time it works out ok, but the other 10% when it does not got to plan, well that's a real bummer.

The other choice is to knock them both down and buy in a mated queen

I LEAVE ONLY ONE, BUT I ALSO TAKE A NUC WITH A QUEEN CELL GIVES A BIT MORE INSURANCE

 

[menteth]

Thanks for advice everyone. There were actually 7 cells. Left 2 (which were right next to each other). Fingers crossed.
In the week since the queen left, they've filled a super. They've clearly got nothing better to do.
Thanks for your splendid advice everyone.