Today I added a second brood box to the hive in order to split it at the end of August. We had a friend over who is interested in getting her own hive set up, so we pretty thoroughly went through the hive showing it to her. We noticed 2 queen cells in the beginning stage of construction, maybe drawn out about an inch or so. We also made a visual on the queen.
From this early stage of the queen cells, can we calculate when to expect the hive to swarm? And will they still swarm regardless, even though we just gave them 10 new frames of real estate?
Thanks!
Were the cells on the bottom of the frames or on the side? If on the side, the hive is going to replace her for some reason. If on the bottom, they may be getting ready to swarm.
Check out this site:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmath.htm
Steve
They were on a frame face, close to one another toward the top bar. I might have missed some if they were on the bottom. The hive is so full of bees it's hard to see much of anything. I suppose if they do swarm I'll still have a strong hive leftover.
Wonder why they want to fire her? Bees spill out of the brood box when I open it up and they are always bearding at night. Many frames full of capped brood and larvae. I didn't see eggs, but I'm starting to need reading glasses so I just might not have seen them. Seems like she's doing a bang up job all around.
Was there eggs or larvae and royal jelly in them. It is quite common for bees to start queen cells just to be prepared but not be raising anything in them. These are known as queen cups. As far as far as timing a swarm, they usually leave once the cells are capped, depending on the weather. Cells should be capped around day 8 after the egg is laid.
Shoot, I didn't think to look inside because I thought they had just started them by the size. Just big enough to protrude outward and down. The ones I saw at our association yard this weekend were capped and much thicker and longer. I am going to take a quick peak in a week and get some photos.
>The hive is so full of bees it's hard to see much of anything.
And easy to miss other cells!
Based on above statement. If cups are laid in good indication of soon to be SWARM. Is their plenty fo brood in all stages. Is the brood chamber backfilled w/honey.
I would like to know how often cell position holds true swarm vs supercedure? Help me out guys.
If you have that many bees and the signs point to swarming (queen cells), I would do the following:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beessplits.htm#swarmcontrol
Steve
Quote from: sc-bee on July 16, 2008, 12:54:11 AM
>The hive is so full of bees it's hard to see much of anything.
And easy to miss other cells!
Based on above statement. If cups are laid in good indication of soon to be SWARM. Is their plenty fo brood in all stages. Is the brood chamber backfilled w/honey.
I would like to know how often cell position holds true swarm vs supercedure? Help me out guys.
Yes, there are whole frames almost completely capped off and others mixed with capped, open larvae, and empty (maybe eggs there) cells. Not sure what backfilled with honey means. Outside frames are honey, and within 1 week one outside frame had comb built out another half inch.