Who kills it queen cells

Georgia Boy · June 09, 2013, 09:09:50 PM

Hey guys,

I run all 8 frame medium boxed hives. Had a hive that had run out of laying room due to backfilling and based on the number of queen cells, was going to swarm. I did the checkerboard thing and added another super then left them alone for a week. Went in today and only found 1 queen and maybe a queen cell or two. I think I got them out of swarming mode for the time being.

I think I read the old queen slims down before swarming based on what I saw (see the bad picture of her) she doesn't look like she could fly anywhere. What do y'all think?

Question is, who does in the queen cells and when? Do the workers take them down before they emerge or does the old queen kill them as or after they emerge?

Thanks David

don2 · June 09, 2013, 11:01:34 PM

The old queen will open a cell and kill the new queen before she can get out where she can turn her rear around to defend herself. If the workers are determined to have a new queen, they will hold the old queen back till the new one is out of the cell. Then they will let the 2 queens have at it.They will do the same thing to two cells of the same age. the first one that is going to come out is held back till they both are out. The workers are of the thought that the one that survives will be the best. :) d2

Jackam · June 10, 2013, 12:57:11 AM

Quote from: don2 on June 09, 2013, 11:01:34 PM
they will hold the old queen back till the new one is out of the cell. Then they will let the 2 queens have at it.

If I was the old queen and I won the battle, I'd be so mad at my kids!

rdy-b · June 10, 2013, 01:58:25 AM

generally speaking ---mated queens dont tear down queen cells-virgin queens do
they kill the queen inside through the side of the cell -if the side is open it was killed by
the first queen that hatched -if the bottom is open that was the first queen that hatched --
only way i know of stopping swarming after they have built cells is to split the hive up into nucs--RDY-B

Michael Bush · June 10, 2013, 11:27:23 AM

Details here:
http://bushfarms.com/huber.htm#letter9

It's not that simple. Swarm cells are staggered in age. Usually the primary swarm leaves about the time that the first cells are capped. The old queen leaves with the first swarm. Eight days later one of the virgins emerges. The bees make the decision what to do. They either guard the other cells from the virgin and confine the other queens, if they are emerging. Or if they think the population is low enough, they may let that virgin destroy the other cells. The queen will sting them. The workers will tear down the sides of the cells and remove the dead larvae.

If they decide to afterswarm, they will then let the next oldest virgin out and guard the other cells from her. This will repeat until they are done with afterswarms.

Finski · June 10, 2013, 01:42:57 PM

.
Last year I saw first time how a new installed queen attacked on queen cells and it started to cut cell like paper with scissors. It pushed with its hind legs too. It was in a hurry.

There were 2 non brood frames in the hive, and there were 4 queen cells more behind them. Next day I noticed that but the queen had not noticed them.

Before that I believed that the queen marks somehow the cells and bees open them.

rdy-b · June 10, 2013, 07:01:01 PM

** new installed queen **???
whats the difference from new installed and first hatched???-- mated
also it is possible to re-queen with cells while old queen occupies hive --try it you
like it-- ;) RDY-B

Finski · June 11, 2013, 02:30:14 AM

Quote from: rdy-b on June 10, 2013, 07:01:01 PM
** new installed queen **???
whats the difference from new installed and first hatched???-- mated
also it is possible to re-queen with cells while old queen occupies hive --try it you
like it-- ;) RDY-B

Why you ask?

rdy-b · June 11, 2013, 02:27:51 PM

because---bees act different at various times-swarm impulse-superseder impulse
and a emergency impulse-we try to mimic certain characteristics when we preform manipulations
to our bees ---- ;) RDY-B

Finski · June 11, 2013, 03:11:42 PM

Quote from: rdy-b on June 11, 2013, 02:27:51 PM
because---bees act different at various times-swarm impulse-superseder impulse
and a emergency impulse-we try to mimic certain characteristics when we preform manipulations
to our bees ---- ;) RDY-B

Really. Never thought that?

I tell a true story...

An old mand went to corner store and he asked mettwurst with 5 cents.
A salesman become a little bit angry: " You cannot get any mettwurst wit 5 cents!
- Ok, would you please cut so near as you can

.

rdy-b · June 11, 2013, 09:39:47 PM

Three Finnish brothers have gone fishing. It's early morning; they see the
sun rise over the horizon when the youngest brother says: "It doesn't seem like
the fish are biting"
They keep on fishing and around midday the middle brother states:
"It really doesn't seem like the fish are hungry"
Night is coming, and the sun is setting when the oldest brother angrily scoffs:
"Of course, the fish aren't biting when you just keep on chatting!"

Finski · June 11, 2013, 09:55:28 PM

Quote from: rdy-b on June 11, 2013, 09:39:47 PM
Three Finnish brothers have gone fishing. It's early morning; they see the
sun rise over the horizon when the youngest brother says: "It doesn't seem like
the fish are biting"
They keep on fishing and around midday the middle brother states:
"It really doesn't seem like the fish are hungry"
Night is coming, and the sun is setting when the oldest brother angrily scoffs:
"Of course, the fish aren't biting when you just keep on chatting!"

wow. Really bad medication.
.

Georgia Boy · June 11, 2013, 10:15:39 PM

Not what I intended but LMAO! :lau: :lau: :lau: :lau: :lau: :lau: :lau: :lau: :lau:

Thanks guys. :)