did I foul up?

[phill]

I have one hive that came through the winter in good shape. In April I added 2 new hives from packages. Installation went well; both queens were soon released.

After a couple of weeks, one of the new hives was coming along well: lots of eggs, some capped brood. But in the other I found no brood, no eggs, and when I took the hive apart I found no sign of the (marked) queen.

Meanwhile in the overwintered hive I saw a couple of uncapped swarm cells.

What I did was take a few frames of brood from the overwintered hive-- including the frames with the queen cells-- and put them in the troubled new hive.

That was 10 days ago. I haven't opened either hive since then, but from outside they both look busy and normal.

Did I do the right thing? 

[iddee]

It would have been better if you had cut one queen cell out and installed it in the new hive. The old hive may have the larva needed to make more, but they may NOT.
Removing all queen cells is the best way I know to end with a queenless, soon to be dead, hive.

[phill]

Hmm. Another factor to worry about.

I should have mentioned, though, that the overwintered hive had an excellent brood pattern and loads of new eggs. Sure looked like evidence of a healthy queen.

Then again, I suppose if she's about to leave in a swarm, I'm up a creek?

[iddee]

NOT up a creek. If they make more cells, remove the queen and a couple frames of brood and start a nuc. Let the hive raise a queen from the cells.

[phill]

Thanks, iddee. The older hive still looks strong: no new swarm cells.

Meanwhile, what are the odds that I'll get a queen in the new hive?