Brand new to this - we have 2 hives started with Nucs one month ago. Found 2 Queen cells in weaker hive - must be supersedure as are located in the middle of the comb in top brood box. They have several non drawn frames still so not overcrowded. I thought they must sense the Queen is failing, etc. and they are doing their normal thing by re-queening & I should let them be. I was advised to remove the old queen before the new ones hatch. Would appreciate other experienced opinions - is it too risky if I don't intervene? Thanks in advance - I love these bees!
From what I have observed and read in several different books, if they are superseding the queen, the bees will allow the old queen to continue to lay eggs until the replacement is mated and laying. As I see it there is no need to intervene.
they know what they're doing. leave them be.
I appreciate the feedback. I will probably let the girls work this out - even if it goes against my mentor's suggestion.
You never said if there were eggs in the Q cells. They'll sometime build them but never do anything with them. Scrape them off if there's no activity going on in them. If in doubt scrape one off and examine it closely to learn. If it's active, now you really know what they look like and leave the others alone.