A queen cell? For real??

FlexMedia.tv · August 10, 2016, 11:45:41 PM

Ok! I think I figured it out after a bunch of posts. I have a hive that is not doing well and when I did an inspection, I couldn't find any eggs or larvae. I finally opened the first brood box. I didn't see any eggs but I did see a few young bees. I have been posting pictures of what I thought were queen cells but since I don't know what the heck I'm doing, I didn't know what to look for. BUT, I think I got it right this time... Let me know if these are queen cells, or lie to me so I can stop looking! *grin!*

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

PhilK · August 11, 2016, 12:33:33 AM

Yep they're QCs - if you Google image queen cell you'll see exactly what they look like. Reckon they are superceding her or did the queen die?

cao · August 11, 2016, 02:08:27 AM

Yep, those are queen cells. It's not uncommon for package bees to requeen themselves in the first year. Check back in 2-3 weeks to see if the new queen made it back and is laying.

GSF · August 11, 2016, 04:18:36 PM

Flex, one of the theories behind why package bees requeen themselves is that they are absent brood smell for a long enough period they think something's wrong with the queen.

Those are queen cells. Now imagine this scenario, These cells are coming right off the bottom of the frame instead of where they are at. You have two supers, the QCs are located on the bottom of the frames of the top super. You don't know it's queen less. You remove the top super and place it on something solid like a table top or hive body top. Now all your QCs are damaged beyond repair.

That's why it's a good practice to either place the super on an empty super or when removing it - lift it up from the back, slide the front edge (making sure only the edge of the front face of the super is touching the super below it) toward you a few inches and look under the frames.

yep, I done it - but I got away with it because of the QCs in the middle of the frame.

CrazyTalk · August 11, 2016, 05:54:01 PM

Quote from: GSF on August 11, 2016, 04:18:36 PM
Flex, one of the theories behind why package bees requeen themselves is that they are absent brood smell for a long enough period they think something's wrong with the queen.

I believe this theory.

I ended up splitting a package earlier this year - about a month after installment - there were maybe 5-6 queen cells (So I'm not sure if they were about to swarm, or superseding), but after the split (both hives got a little brood) - neither has tried to supersede their queen.

FlexMedia.tv · August 12, 2016, 04:36:16 PM

Quote from: GSF on August 11, 2016, 04:18:36 PM
Flex, one of the theories behind why package bees requeen themselves is that they are absent brood smell for a long enough period they think something's wrong with the queen.

So then there's that, huh?
These were on the bottom. I looked in the second box first thinking there weren't any at all. To re cap, I thought she swarmed when a big swarm was over the hive but someone told me that swarm was too big for an 80 day package hive. Then I couldn't find any brood. But somebody else told me that this hive wouldn't take a new pre fertilized queen because there are no young to take care of her?

sc-bee · August 12, 2016, 10:27:48 PM

No it is not queen cells... so quit looking

Check back in a few weeks and see what you have

But you are in Michigan. What does your drone population look like? What is the population of the hive? Can it take a 6 week further hit with no emerging bees?

FlexMedia.tv · August 15, 2016, 12:24:55 AM

Quote from: sc-bee on August 12, 2016, 10:27:48 PM
No it is not queen cells... so quit looking Check back in a few weeks and see what you have

Thanks for the relief. *wink!* I only see a few young bees that I can tell. I do see a few drones. I gues here in Michigan, August is a bee predator season including dragon flies. I get a queen hatched and ready to mate, I have to worry about a dragon fly knocking her out of the sky. What else, huh?

GSF · August 15, 2016, 08:13:20 AM

SC, Those are swarm/queen cells on the bottom of the frame. If they ain't what are they? I've always treated them as such.

Michael Bush · August 15, 2016, 02:02:56 PM

>Those are swarm/queen cells on the bottom of the frame. If they ain't what are they?

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesswarmcontrol.htm#supersedure
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfallacies.htm#swarmcellsonbottom

GSF · August 15, 2016, 02:10:10 PM

To me they are all the same in the respect that a new or another queen is in there. I see what you're saying though.

FlexMedia.tv · August 15, 2016, 02:35:22 PM

I didn't think they swarmed but then there was that HUGE swarm around my hive that I was told was too big for a 80 day package hive. In any event, I would like to save the hive to make it through the winter. Do I just leave them alone and keep checking?
Thanks
Artis

Psparr · August 15, 2016, 03:07:04 PM

Leave them for a few weeks. Best thing you can do.

FlexMedia.tv · August 15, 2016, 06:38:33 PM

Quote from: Psparr on August 15, 2016, 03:07:04 PM
Leave them for a few weeks. Best thing you can do.

Keep feeding?

sc-bee · August 15, 2016, 08:38:27 PM

Quote from: GSF on August 15, 2016, 08:13:20 AM
SC, Those are swarm/queen cells on the bottom of the frame. If they ain't what are they? I've always treated them as such.

Don't over think location of cells. Look at other indicators of the hive along with location as maybe one of many determining factors...to name a few
-Colony population- is the colony weak or strong
-Number of cells
-Are all cells in the same stage
-Are there a mixture of different stages..open and closed cells
-Is the brood chamber backfilled or honey bound
-And of course location

sc-bee · August 15, 2016, 08:40:54 PM

Deleted double post

FlexMedia.tv · August 16, 2016, 05:41:54 AM

Ok! Leaving them alone for a bit and seeing what they want to do.
Thanks all for the help.
Art

GSF · August 16, 2016, 08:18:46 AM

good points sc