Should I requeen?

Started by Bighead, July 20, 2010, 04:22:44 PM

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Bighead

July 20, 2010, 04:22:44 PM
I have a colony that keeps making queen cells, (they are on the bottom and sides). This a a very small colony, I received them in mid May at the time Just a queen and enough bees to cover a frame. They have been doing a good job of bringing the #s up but they keep trying to make a queen. Should I requeen or what?
"He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself."
-- Thomas Paine

specialkayme

#1
July 20, 2010, 04:27:08 PM
Are they making queen CELLS or just queen CUPS?

Bighead

#2
July 20, 2010, 04:40:10 PM
Cells, eggs and larva.
"He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself."
-- Thomas Paine

Sean Kelly

#3
July 20, 2010, 05:17:01 PM
Bottom and sides usually means they're getting ready to swarm.

Are all the frames full?  Cut the queen cells out and give them more room.
Got two hive bodies?  Rotate them, the queen likes to move upward and your current bottom might be empty.

Don't requeen, they're preparing to do their own requeening and would just be a waste of money if she decided to take off with half your hive.

Sean Kelly
"My son,  eat  thou honey,  because it is good;  and the honeycomb,  which is sweet  to thy taste"          - Proverbs 24:13

Kathyp

#4
July 20, 2010, 05:19:21 PM
if you cut out the queen cells and they swarm anyway..which is likely...you are screwed unless you want to buy a queen.  more room can be helpful.
The people the people are the rightful masters of both congresses and courts not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert it.

Abraham  Lincoln
Speech in Kansas, December 1859

hardwood

#5
July 20, 2010, 05:32:44 PM
If they are truly swarm cells chances are good that the are already in swarm mode. About the only thing you could do to prevent a swarm in that case would be to create and artificial swarm. Make a split with the queen, some brood and stores and leave the original hive to raise a new queen. Remember that if the cells already have larvae the maximum time you have to do the split is 10 days.

Scott
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

specialkayme

#6
July 20, 2010, 05:58:04 PM
Quote from: hardwood on July 20, 2010, 05:32:44 PM
If they are truly swarm cells chances are good that the are already in swarm mode. About the only thing you could do to prevent a swarm in that case would be to create and artificial swarm. Make a split with the queen, some brood and stores and leave the original hive to raise a new queen. Remember that if the cells already have larvae the maximum time you have to do the split is 10 days.

Scott

Agreed. You can do alot to prevent swarming before it starts, but once the queen cells are there, full of larvae, the colony most of the time has already made up it's mind. If you cut out the cells the hive will swarm anyway and you get nothing.

Do a split as described above. Consider feeding, depending on your location and your nectar flows.

Bighead

#7
July 20, 2010, 06:12:27 PM
Room is not a problem there is only three frames of bee in a five frame nuc. With one for the five still just foundation.
"He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself."
-- Thomas Paine
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