queen cells and other questions

[mushgirl]

Here are a few more newbie questions. I have a package that's going great. I hived them in late April and they are filling out a second deep. I checked them yesterday and they have still have room in the top box. there are open queen cells on the bottom of some frames in the top box. I have read different opinions on what that means. There seems to be a good increase in numbers, good brood pattern, not honey bound. I still have feed on them because the weather has been so cold and rainy. This week it has cleared up though, and the temp has shot up into the 90s. I have not seen the queen, but don't really want to go poking around in the bottom box and disturb them any more than neccesary. Should I keep feeding? Why are they making queen cells? One more question. Has there been any research done about using plastic foundation and the chemicals leaching into the honey? My instinct is to stay away from plastic, and it seems like the high heat in the hive and constant contact with the honey would make for a perfect leaching situation. Any opinions?
Nancy

[mushgirl]

No answers to my queen cell on bottom of frame question. Anyone out there have an opinion? Any input would be appreciated.

[BuzzyBee]

Hi Nancy,

Welcome to the group. Pretty good bunch of gals and guys around here.

Like the title says, I'm new myself, so don't take anything I say as fact. :), but are you sure you have queen cells or just some burr comb. I opened one of my hives last weekend and thought I saw queen cells on the bottoms of a couple frames, but on further inspection, they were just burr comb in the shape of queen cells. I just scraped them off. Probably be back when I open the hive again! :)

From my reading and research, queen cells on the bottom of frames could be swarm cells, but from you description of your hive, it seems improbable they would be trying to swarm yet. Again, I'm no expert!

If you have eggs, you have a queen. They can be hard to see especially through a veil, but I wouldn't worry about actually seeing the queen.

As for plastic leaching into your honey, it would have to get through the wax the bees build on the foundation first and if it in fact did would be diluted pretty much to undetectable levels I would think, by the time any would touch your honey. I wouldn't worry about that either. I'd be more worried about what your girls bring back from your neighbor's gardens and lawns. Bees can fly up to 2 miles to forage and you can't tell them where to stay away from.

Again, welcome to the group and hope you get some replies from those on here more knowledgeable than me. ;)

Buzzy

[alpha6]

Mushgirl,

I too am no expert and Michael Bush or others know so much more then I but I'll chime in. Make sure they are queen cells and not burr comb. They can look similar sometimes. I am posting a link to a pic for you of queen cells at the bottom. Usually queen cells on the bottom indicate a swarm could be in the works. I would check out Michael Bushs info on swarm control. http://www.bushfarms.com/beesswarmcontrol.htm

I would give them more room in the brood area and add a super if it looks like they are filling out the second deep, just to be on the safe side.

Here is what a queen swarm looks like. Move down the page to "swarm cell"

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.beecare.com/images/Comb/QueenCell.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.beecare.com/Encyclopedia/Encyclopedia%2520S.htm&h=367&w=512&sz=20&hl=en&start=5&tbnid=0jfOZi5o-2DIWM:&tbnh=94&tbnw=131&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dqueen%2Bcells%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26s a%3DG

Good luck

[spunky]

My hives draw out plastic well if there is flow on or feeding 1;1


It is my understanding, that swarm cells, generally hang off the bottom of the frame and supecedence cells are built into the comb. I tried busting up a hive today with 5 swarm cells in it.


I only feed in early spring and fall if they are light on stores; feed if you dont have any drawn comb



I only use OA and powdered sugar, and this is only my second year.


Good luck

[bjerm2]

Hi Mushgirl, well I would check to see if the queen is in there. Be careful not to destroy any of the queen cells. They might be supersedure cells. New packages sometimes do that. Don't be afraid to look in the hive. It is a very interring place to be. By looking into the brood nest you can learn alot as far as the condition of the coloney. Like I said earlier some packages will superseed thier 'old' queen. If it's swarm cells then there will be more that 4 queen cells. Good luck.
Hope this info helps.

[dug_6238]

If you see queen cups (open, and empty, not long in length) there's really nothing to worry about. Call it work inscentive aimed at the queen, or call if a bluff, whichever you like. If they are filled, closed, or drawn out much longer in length, then you need to pay closer attention. Search for queen cups, find a photo, and see if that's what you have.

Always give ample expansion space though, except when preparing for winter.

My $0.02.

[mushgirl]

Thanks everyone! I think dug is right. They are not closed. I think they are queen cups. My friend looked at them and said pretty much the same thing. That they were just testing the queen. I'll keep an eye on them though. So much to learn!