Two hives...two questions...how many mistakes did I make?

[warts]

Hi
Thanks in advance for advice/ideas.

Hive 1:
08.05.16 - found Q cells in hive. Carried out AS. At the time, cells small and for what I could see, just beyond egg stage. Left one Q cell. (Hive two now created.)

15.05.16 - removed new Qcells, bar the one left originally. Qcell not yet sealed, but a nice size so far.

19.06.16 - returned to hive today, (thought best to leave it alone until now) and assumed that the Q should have mated by now, and possibly laying - though the weather is still awful. What I did find was one (and I am sure the same) sealed Q cell. No brood at all. Bees calm and not unhappy (especially considering the weather), and appeared to be 'tending' the Q cell (though not impossible I am reading too much into it).

Question: shouldn't she be out and about by now? The Q cell doesn't look like it has been opened previously and then sealed afterwards. Just looks like a nice...very large Q cell.

Hive 2: when I carried out the AS, I moved the original Q and some brood and bees to new hive (08.05.16).

15.05.16 - all OK

22.05.16. All still good. Added additional super. Plenty of space.

29.05.16 - all good still. Plenty of space. OSR nearly all gone from fields

06.06.16 - all good. Plenty of space (brood and supers).

12.06.16 really bad weather. Didn't open up. Assumed OK given previous weeks.

19.06.16 - found Q cells, sealed and not. Eggs and brood at all stages.

Question: I am assuming I have missed a swarm, but eggs looked fresh (as far as my limited experience goes), so then I wondered where it was super endure. But I partly think not because there was about 7+ Q cells, some new, just got egg in, and some sealed), and I have got it into my head that supercedure wouldn't have so many. But they seem to be still making them. I do normally see the Q, but didn't see her today. But maybe it was because I assumed sh had gone. Is this normal, .i.e. Q cells as such different stages, sealed and new?

Frankly, that 'argh' of the moment got the better of me. Think I have messed up here, but not sure how to progress.

Anyhow, as it is, I removed all Q cells bar one in hive 2, and left hive 1 ( mainly because I didn't have my records with me, and thought I had got the dates wrong).

Sorry for the long email, but basically, is what is happening in both hives normal?

Cannot get back there till next weekend.

Thank you
Sally

 

[Tom Jay]

Sally, as to Hive 1, I've put your dates to my nifty double disc beekeepers rule and it tells me this: An egg laid on 8th May in a QC should have emerged on 23rd May, and had her mating flight by 13th June. So do you have a queenless hive with a dead QC, or was there another QC which you somehow missed and that queen has emerged and stung the queen in your unopened cell before ever that one emerged?

I'm pretty new to this so this suggestion is not out of long experience and may be way off the mark.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

.

Hive 1:

Question: shouldn't she be out and about by now? The Q cell doesn't look like it has been opened previously and then sealed afterwards. Just looks like a nice...very large Q cell.

She should be out by now so either she is and they've resealed the cell or it's a dud. Any chance you may have missed another cell (they are experts at concealing them) there could hve been an older one tucked away somewhere and that queen nobbled the other QC
Next time you go in you may well see eggs, timescale seems about right. If not, that QC is definitely useless so take it down and see what's inside - if a dead queen, then either there's another one in there or they are Q-, pop in a test frame

19.06.16 - found Q cells, sealed and not. Eggs and brood at all stages.

Question: I am assuming I have missed a swarm, but eggs looked fresh (as far as my limited experience goes), so then I wondered where it was supercedure . But they seem to be still making them.
Anyhow, as it is, I removed all Q cells bar one in hive 2

Doubtful it's supersedure - looks like they weren't quite over their swarming fever, I think she's gone so the bees are making emergency cells like stuff.they will continue making them until they have no more eggs then larvae to play with (the last ones will be extremely pathetic specimens) Presence of eggs mean nothing - queens will carry on laying until takeoff, just not quite as many.
You did right, just have a quick look next week to make sure they haven't made any more EQC's then give her peace for three or four weeks.

 

[warts]

Hi Tom and Jenkinsbrynmair

Thank you for your replies.

I think you are right and hive one is either a dude (that was my, none to expert view) or maybe another Q cell was in there (didn't think of that - so will see - thank you). If no eggs next week I will move an EQC in hive two to hive 1...or is this not a good idea? I will not have any fresh eggs next week to put a test fame in, as I only have these hives.

Otherwise. I will remove any new EQCs next week in hive 2 and leave them to it.

Thanks again. Much appreciated.

Sally

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

, I've put your dates to my nifty double disc beekeepers rule and it tells me this: An egg laid on 8th May in a QC should have emerged on 23rd May, and had her mating flight by 13th June.

All well and good apart from the last date By the 13th June queens don't mate/lay by the reckoner. Got queens of about the same age not laying yet and I'm not panicking. Be a couple of weeks yet before I start thinking of plan B

I think you are right and hive one is either a dude (that was my, none to expert view) or maybe another Q cell was in there (didn't think of that - so will see - thank you). If no eggs next week I will move an EQC in hive two to hive 1...or is this not a good idea?

Plenty of time - I wouldn't panic yet - next week, open that QC and see if a dud or resealed.
Carry on as before with hive 2, don't bother transferring any EQC's over. I honestly think she'll start laying in the next few weeks.

 

[warts]

Plenty of time - I wouldn't panic yet - next week, open that QC and see if a dud or resealed.
Carry on as before with hive 2, don't bother transferring any EQC's over. I honestly think she'll start laying in the next few weeks.

Will do.

And thank you again

Sally