Queen cell in an 11 day old hive

[Nan3902]

Remember I am a beginner at this....

But, I had a uncapped queen cell with a larva in it. Reading that it could lead the swarming behaviors, I removed the larva. I am supposing that the queen cell was done because my queen is not laying eggs by the droves like she is supposed to. Some eggs, some larva, but only enough of each to fill one foundation ! And this is with the queen released for a week.

There is honey and a few honey cells are capped, but bees look like they are buried up to their beebutts eating in some combs.

I am still feeding them, but my bucket doesn't seem to be working right and neither does my entrance (feeder), since both have more in them than they should.
Questions:
1) Should I get a new queen ?
2) What will happen if I don't ? Swarming and half of my bees will leave with the queen ?
3) Any ideas to make the bucket work better ?

Sign me,
Eager to make my bees happy
Nancy in Ovid, NY

[Ron Young]

Where was the queen cell located on the frame? If it was in the middle to top of the frame, then they may well be trying to supercede the queen. If it were on the bottom, then yes it would have been a swarm cell. That is not likely given that this is a new colony? As for the entrance feeder, I would get rid of it, and get a hive top feeder. As for them not taking the sugar, they may not want it if there is a significant flow going on in your area.

[NasalSponge]

Where is the cell located?? This can give a clue to what they are doing.

[Nan3902]

The cell was located about an inch from the top of a frame. Supercede or swarm...either way the queen is out, right ? And I should buy a new queen ?

I have the 2 gallon hive top feeder. Maybe it stays full because they are not eating it ? Duh to me ? It is the kind with the small pinholes in it.

Bee Pleaser,
Nancy in Ovid, NY

PS I really appreciate all your help.

[Ron Young]

I would just get one of the standard hive top feeders. Many manufacturers make them. If you want to be sure about the bees you keep, then yes get a queen. If the queen is still in the hive, give her some time, and if they decide to supercede her, then they by all means know more of what they need than we do, let them.

[Nan3902]

Hell, I should have left the larva in the hive. Somehow I was thinking there would be a swarm...but with supersedure they would just let the new queen get killed off by the new reared or superseded queen ?

Is that right ?

Waht would you do...wait or replace her ? I only have the one hive. Less larva now will be less bees soon.

Nancy

[RayMarler]

Since the queen is only been released for a week, I'd say wait for 2 more weeks and see what it looks like. I bet it'll look alot better by then. How many frames are fully covered with bees in the hive? It takes nurse bees to take care of larva and brood. The queen can only lay as fast as there are nurse bees to care for the youngens.

[TwT]

if the queen is laying dont buy another queen, give her time to get started and then let the bee's let you know what needs to be done, 1 week is to short of a time, because she was caged and maybe took a few days to start laying after released they bee's could think something is wrong with her because all they know is there is a queen in the hive and she is doing nothing, give a queen 2 about weeks from released time as long as she is laying before you think of replacing her and dont trust cells in this time as long as you still see eggs.

[tecumseh]

nancy writes:
But, I had a uncapped queen cell with a larva in it. Reading that it could lead the swarming behaviors, I removed the larva. I am supposing that the queen cell was done because my queen is not laying eggs by the droves like she is supposed to. Some eggs, some larva, but only enough of each to fill one foundation ! And this is with the queen released for a week.
tecumseh> the second sentence here suggest you have reversed cause and effect. with insignificant numbers of eggs or larvae the cell would be more accurately describes as superscedure than swarm. you likely did nothing wrong in removing the larva. I would suspect (don't absolutely know) that the cell is there because this queen has begun to lay slowly. some queens just out of their package will begin to lay from the get go... others require a bit more time to settle into their new home (see snip and comment below for what I suspect is the real problem).

and then:
There is honey and a few honey cells are capped, but bees look like they are buried up to their beebutts eating in some combs.

tecumseh> sounds like this unit is extremely hungry. if you are trying to feed a weak unit (ie a small number of worker bees) with boardman type feeders stuffed into the front entrance then like mr young I would suggest you invest $ or construct a somewhat more effective means of feeding. a boardmen feeder stuffed into the front entrance here creates more problems that it eliminates.