swarm cell advice

[Janv]

This is my 2nd hive which also arrived on 26th April
this one always looked a bit stronger than hive 1 and had a yellow marked queen which was also clipped. The seller told me the Q was 2018 ?
Anyway all was good i was doing weekly inspections and no sign of QC etc and i also put my first super on on the 9th June which the are filling nicely.>>>> BUT my wife spotted a large cluster of bees on the front of the hive and a lot of bees flying around (a lot more commotion than normal) on the 1st of July...i was at work so on my return later that evening all was calmed down and i had a quick look in and there was what looked to me to be the normal amount of bees back in the hive. I didnt go looking for the Queen but did have a look around the outside but no sign....
So (sorry for the long winded-ness!) Inspected today (5th July) didnt spot the Q and no sign of eggs but saw plenty of capped QC's..Didnt see any open QC with larvae and royal jelly.
I would think the old queen is gone how would ye proceed. I didnt do anything with the QC's as of yet.

On a side note both of these hives that i got were infected with varroa when they arrived i was seeing large numbers on the inspection board. i did treat them three times each over three week period with varromed which was dribbled on.
thanks again for any advice Jan

 

[Erichalfbee]

You need to reduce those cells to one or you will lose more swarms
Trouble is they are all capped
You are going to have to take a bet on one
Choose a good looking one in a well protected position.
Brush the bees off the frame to make sure there is just the one. Mark the top bar
Shake the bees off the rest
You could carefully take the frame out in a week to check the cell is open otherwise leave alone for three weeks or so.
Sorry I don’t know much about varroamed

 

[Millet]

It looks like you had a good Queen in there..shame she was not clipped as you would not have lost half of your bees..
Regardless you need to knock all the Queen cells down and leave one good one..that is where it becomes tricky (you might kill all the good ones and leave a dud)..from now on with this palava i will be making a nuc with one Queen cell and leaving one in the swarmed hive..that way i/you can unite either side later on if one Queen cell fails.

 

[eltalia]

[...]
On a side note both of these hives that i got were infected with varroa when they arrived i was seeing large numbers on the inspection board. i did treat them three times each over three week period with varromed which was dribbled on.
thanks again for any advice Jan

That side note is the most important info, for both colonys.
The evidence of 'damage' in both is clear, an the bees are also
sending a message in building QC.
So, address the VD as soon as in doing a count. I'd recommend
an alcohol wash but whatever you choose get an idea of what mite
numbers are currently present.
As urgent action also, make up a nuc with at least one frame of
stores. Then take frames with QCs and place those in the nuc.
IF too many, cut around QCs and tie that comb to a bar, put that
in nuc - example attached.
Shake in a few handfulls of bees from the strongest colony, close
the nuc up for two days minimum.
That's immediate action - see what your VD count is and what eggs
get laid if any after QCs are removed and post more updates.
In this topic if you wish.

Bill

 

[maddydog]

Have you spoken to the vendor at all? Swarmy bees with apparent high varroa levels isn't good form. Not blaming you BTW.

Good luck.

 

[eltalia]

Have you spoken to the vendor at all? Swarmy bees with apparent high varroa levels isn't good form. Not blaming you BTW.

Good luck.

True... whomsoever should be removed from suppliers listings, at least.
Even if replacement was offered, woodja go there?

Bill