Aborting Supercedure

[leafcutter]

I have a 9 month old hive, started from a package last April. It has barely hung on, requeening itself twice in that time - I thought perhaps due to Nosema or some other unseen problem. I prefer let them keep at it until they found a queen with good genetics, rather than treat with any chemicals. Since it had made it through the 'winter' with little stores, and the nectar is flowing and their brood increasing, I had figured it was home-free now.

Wrong. Looks like they have dusted off the supercedure cells and are at it again.

If I let them raise a new queen now, she'll be sure to have crummy mating weather and be a poor replacement. Lots of folks in NorCal sat around with aging virgins waiting for warm weather to mate last year - remember the queens were delayed? - and I dont want to be in that boat again.

Do I terminate the queen cells for the moment since there *are* eggs being laid and the population is increasing, and wait until warmer weather to let them requeen again? Or, do I just leave them to figure it out and trust they know something I dont?

I dont see any sign of other pests or problems with the hive.

[Michael Bush]

Maybe you need some different genetics. It doesn't sound like they have done very well. I don't know if you can get queens this time of year there.

[sierrabees]

In the Bay Area there are probably some drones around even this time of year. If the bees are that determined to supercede I would let them do it. I had two supercedures in one of my yards a month ago and both new queens are laying worker brood. This yard is at 2500 feet with night time temperatures below freezing, about 175 miles northeast of you. When spring comes you can requeen with better stock. Meanwhile the young queens should keep the colony going.

[jim b]

leafcutter -

I was going to split off my supercedure cell into another nuk a couple of weeks ago, but the wizened ones on this board advised me not to.

Looks to me like they were just playing with my mind (the bees, that is) cause they seemed to have torn it down. Maybe they were just practicing or maybe it was a shot over my bow.

Well i showed them. I gave 'em another five frames to think about and checkerboarded them to boot.

It'll be interesting to see what they do with that.

There are quite a few drones in there and a couple of patches of drone brood. I think they will decide what to do and when to do it.

I'm glad i didn't mess with them when i didn't.

-j

Actually, now that i think about it, i probably have a virgin in there. Hmmmmm.....could be interesting. Now i don't know what to think.
Yes i do. I think i'll get some sleep.

[George Fergusson]

Check out the latest (Feb?) Bee Culture if you can, they've got a very interesting article on Colony Decision Making, particularly in regard subfamilies and queen rearing in regards swarming and supercedure.

[sierrabees]

<I'm glad i didn't mess with them when i didn't.>

The only statement more common than this in beekeeping is "I sure wish I had left them alone and let them do it their way."