Wow, Im really confused after my last hive inspection.
Ive got a new hive and Im a new beekeeper. The bees are filling out the second box nicely and I am ready to add a honey super.
Hear are my questions for all you knowledgable folks...
1: I found a couple of small ball shaped cells with an opening on each one. They are perfect little orbs sticking up on the frame with nothing in them. What are they?
2: I found 2 , what appear to be, queen cells at the lower portion of a frame. I havent seen my queen in 2 weeks but there are gobs of bees in there now and it is difficult to find her.
Thanks!
Pictures help but from what you are describing the "ball shaped" cells might be "queen cups". Did you look inside to see if they had any eggs or larva in them? Workers will some times build queen cups just to have on hand in case they need a queen cell fast. They might build them, tear'em down. Build more somewhere else.
i think you are seeing queen cups .like idaxon said.a pic will realy help.check and see if they have eggs in any cells if you can't find the queen.if your hive is full of bees and the queen cells are at the bottom of the frame they will swarm on you. .........schawee
I went back in today and ,yes, the little orbs are now elongated queen cells with eggs in them. Arg! there are at least 6 going.
I added my honey super.
What can I do now?
Its tough being a newbee :?
Get ready for making splits.
Too late for the super, as said above...time to make a split or two
A split? A spppllliiiittttt?
Can you see my eyes rolling?
Dang, it wasnt 'spose to be like this my first year. It was 'spose to be smooth sailing.
look on the bright side ,now you have another hive :-D
I understand how you feel Stella. Most of the time, we have to go along with what the bees are doing. My first year of beekeeping was very simple for me, but the second year was very difficult. I had to do many things I did not feel ready for, splits, requeening, laying worker hive, varroa mite issues, etc.
If you can, do the split, otherwise you will have your bees swarm off, if it is not too late. Splits are not difficult.
Just keep asking questions and you will get help
Annette
You can split or they will split.
Quote from: G3farms on July 08, 2011, 01:39:44 AM
....." Take the frame or frames with the queen cells and the rest of the frames and leave them in the original location..."
====================
Huh?
Seems like we got one two many and's in the statement.
Lot's of info in search on splits. If not go to MB's website he explains all types in detail