Urgent Advice Needed

[Raceyboy]

Hi, just been out to the hive and i noticed my marked queen was walking about on the lawn with around 15 bees with her. I promptly picked her up and put her into the entrance of the hive. Was this the right thing to do? is there a new queen? What could be the cause of this?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Did the queen have clipped wings?
If so, she may have attempted to swarm.
When did you last inspect the hive?
I think we all need a bit more info before trying to work out what's happenned

 

[oliver90owner]

Yes. Either supercedure or clipped is favourite. You need to look in the hive. It may well then be obvious.

 

[Raceyboy]

She's had her wing clipped ......

 

[Raceyboy]

Last week there was 4 queen cells which i crushed...

 

[Poly Hive]

Better check for charged cells now.

My phone is ringing with swarms today.

PH

 

[enrico]

There's your answer she will probably try and swarm again. Same result. Go through your hive and remove all but one queen cell, preferably an open one that you can see a grub in. It may be that you already have a new queen in there but that is a chance you will have to take!! If you find the old queen in the grass again,shove her in a nuc with a frame of bees as a back up. That's what I would do
E

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Last week there was 4 queen cells which i crushed...

looks like they built a few more and the original queen swarmed. Follow Enrico's advice, put old queen with frames of brood in nuc, reduce the cells in home hive to one QC (or do a further split if they're strong enough and you want to make increase.) there are a few options but they all mean doing something - good luck

 

[Raceyboy]

Just opened up the hive, there was 4 more queen cells, i crushed 2 of them and as i was checking the other 2 a new queen popped out of one of the cells, she vanished into the brood box, the last cell also had a queen in it, she also went straight into the brood box...... So as it stands, i have 1 old queen and 2 new ones, what would the next step be ?

 

[oliver90owner]

Cros both legs and fingers and fall over at the next step taken!

 

[For want of a better word]

My word was you lucky in finding her!

If it had been one of mine the chucks would have gobbled her up,,,,, then I never clip my queens... perhaps I should?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just opened up the hive, there was 4 more queen cells, i crushed 2 of them and as i was checking the other 2 a new queen popped out of one of the cells, she vanished into the brood box, the last cell also had a queen in it, she also went straight into the brood box...... So as it stands, i have 1 old queen and 2 new ones, what would the next step be ?

Be prepared for swarms and cast swarms.
What I would do (not saying this is right mind you) immediately is put your old clipped queen in a nuc with some brood, stores and a good shake of bees or she will swarm sooner rather than later - At least you will have one viable colony.
With the remainder either the two virgins will fight it out then hopefuly the victor will get mated or you'l get a cast swarm. You can always reunite when the dust settles!

 

[jimmybee]

I would put her in a nuc with a frame or two and hope you dont get any cast swarms from your main hive.

 

[oliver90owner]

Post #5 :Last week there was 4 queen cells which i crushed...

Wake up. You have been asleep for a week! They do not go from nothing to emerging queens in one week. Even some of the new beeks reading this thread would pick that one up.

Look around your garden, there may already be a swarm hanging up somewhere.

 

[enrico]

I would agree RAB but he says he SAW the original clipped queen. I find it amazing that so far he has found his original clipped queen in the grass and seen two emerging queens. most new beekeepers never see a queen for the first two years. If it was April 1st I would have my suspicions!!