is this a queen cup?

jmblakeney · May 30, 2011, 12:31:12 PM

Hey all,
I was checking in on my bee tree hive. They are now three mediums high. All brood in the bottom two and an empty super on top. They just don't seem to want to start building in the top box if you don't pyramid the frames. Anyway on the third frame in I saw this

Here is another pic.

I hope that you all can see them well enough.

I have read that certain strains of bees will build these cups for no known reason. These bees are mutt bees so I don't know if these are partly those kinda bees. This is the first time I've saw them attending to the cup. Its throwing me off because its a cup shape and not "queen cell looking" There are other cups in this hive that I've seen before.

I hope that they aren't preparing to swarm. There are plenty of places for her to lay in the bottom box.

If this is a queen cup and they are preparing to swarm are there any steps I can take to remedy it? Or is this just something they do and nothing to be concerned over?

Thanks,
James

hardwood · May 30, 2011, 12:42:30 PM

They are queen cups until there is an egg or larva in them then the are queen cells. I can't tell from the pics if there is anything in there but they look like cups. they haven't been drawn down yet so doesn't look like they are working them.

It's normal to find these in most hives.

Scott

Jim134 · May 30, 2011, 12:43:37 PM

Yes on Queen cup
A Queen Cell if egg or lava is in it

Are you using a Queen excluder (AKA honey excluder) in your hive ???

BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

Larry Bees · May 30, 2011, 12:53:13 PM

I wondered what those were. I see them all of the time. Larry

jmblakeney · May 30, 2011, 01:05:47 PM

Quote from: Jim 134 on May 30, 2011, 12:43:37 PM
Are you using a Queen excluder (AKA honey excluder) in your hive ?

I don't use excluder's.
The cup was in between the very bottom of the comb and the bottom bar so it was hard for me to be able to see if anything was in it or not.

VolunteerK9 · May 31, 2011, 03:50:21 PM

Nothing to be concerned with though. I think its a colony's insurance policy. They will build a few then tear them back down again. Whatever you do, dont tear them out. Leave them be.

annette · May 31, 2011, 08:05:09 PM

I know when I get queen cups in the hive, the bees are not attending to them. They are just there. The fact that they are "attending" to that cup makes me feel that perhaps there is something inside of that cup. But this is just my observation, and not sure.

Wait and see what happens.

Annette

jmblakeney · May 31, 2011, 08:29:52 PM

Just a quick update. I went back in and pulled that particular frame today. I was able to twist it in such a way that allowed me to see inside the cup. There was nothing in there that I could see. I can see eggs in cells pretty good so I fairly confident there was no egg in there.

Thanks all for your comments and help.
Annette, when I said attending I watched two worker walking on the cup and stick their head in. I hadn't observed them doing this before so it they were attending, more than I had saw them in the past.

Thanks again,
James

annette · May 31, 2011, 08:44:19 PM

Sounds good James.

Annette

sc-bee · May 31, 2011, 08:52:59 PM

Quote from: VolunteerK9 on May 31, 2011, 03:50:21 PM
Nothing to be concerned with though. I think its a colony's insurance policy. They will build a few then tear them back down again. Whatever you do, dont tear them out. Leave them be.

And exactly why? They (cups) don't hurt anything but no problem taking them out either. They are not queen cells!

VolunteerK9 · June 01, 2011, 08:50:37 AM

Quote from: sc-bee on May 31, 2011, 08:52:59 PM
Quote from: VolunteerK9 on May 31, 2011, 03:50:21 PM
Nothing to be concerned with though. I think its a colony's insurance policy. They will build a few then tear them back down again. Whatever you do, dont tear them out. Leave them be.

And exactly why? They (cups) don't hurt anything but no problem taking them out either. They are not queen cells!

Very true, but after taking some bad advice previously to 'remove all queen cells/cups', I dont mess around with them anymore. If they are cups, I dont mess with them. If they are cells I'll make a nuc. But I never destroy a cell or a cup anymore. I'm sure they are there for a bee specific reason...we just dont know exactly what for.

sc-bee · June 01, 2011, 05:06:23 PM

I have no problem with taking cups out, especially if there are quite a few cups present. It saves me time looking them again on the next inspection. I usually can tell the difference by just looking at them, cause of shape of cup and opening @ the bottom of cup. But for some reason i usually feel better doing a full inspection if there are multiple cups. That's why I take cups out, just personal preference I guess :-D

Now queen cells that is entirely a different story!