Supersedure cell question

**bobpambee** · 07-09-2011, 01:31 PM

We think that we have lost our queen and that we probably have laying workers. The larva that is there appears to be being capped as drone cells. We do have one cell however that is like a small peanut about mid frame. Is it possible that this is a super seizure cell? Is there a good way to tell? We think we have laying workers as some of the cells with eggs have two eggs while others just have one egg that is centered. Should we just let nature take its course? or take some action?

**Mtn. Bee** · 07-09-2011, 01:41 PM

Could be a new young queen laying mulitiple eggs, I would give it a few more days then do a thorough inspection and find that queen or if it is a laying worker, take her on a one way trip elsewhere!
That also sounds like a supersedure cell or a emergency cell?
Best of Luck! Mtn. Bee

**Rick 1456** · 07-09-2011, 02:28 PM

Don't think workers can lay in the bottom of the cell. Doubt it would be centered either. Sounds like, IMO, you have a queen that is failing and your bees are trying to replace her. Don't know if you can have a drone laying queen and laying workers. Don't think so but don't know for sure. Is there a larvae in the peanut cell? I just had a Drone laying queen situation that I thought was a LW. Had a queen cup full of royal jelly but no larvae I could find. Desperate attempts I think. I finally found the queen. She was a tiny one and dark. Looked like she did when she was in the queen cage. No wonder I missed her.
I would give it some time to be sure of what the situation is. Just my 2 cents.

**RAK** · 07-09-2011, 02:41 PM

Look at the eggs. If the eggs seem to be facing one direction in a neat pattern then Its a queen. If the eggs are facing right then left with messed up pattern and on walls its a worker layer(Laying workers also lay in pollen cells) . Its normal to have worker drone layer with a queen so check the hive a few times and look for the queen everywhere until you are sure there is no queen. Most likely you might have a queen that is a drone layer.

If you have a laying worker the bees will also make queen cells to replace the drone layer but the queen cells will not survive because they are infertile eggs.

Make sure to look through your hive and let us know. Most important is don't hurt the queen cell.

**bobpambee** · 07-09-2011, 04:19 PM

We saw several single egg centered cells, but also saw cells with two eggs, and a couple of cells with one egg laid on top of pollen. The cell that looks like it may be a supersedure cell is capped so we assume their is larva in it but of course we don't know if its just drone larva or a fertilized egg. This is the second year for the queen. The hive was very strong up until it became honey bound. We extracted honey from three full boxes two weeks ago and put the frames back in the hive to create space. We have still have two full boxes of uncapped honey on the hive. This is our only hive so we don't have any brood frames that we can place into this hive.

**Acebird** · 07-09-2011, 04:35 PM

Well if you got three boxes of honey on your second year you got your money's worth. Let it be and try for three years or get another hive so you can have some options.

**HONEYDEW** · 07-09-2011, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by bobpambee

Is it possible that this is a super seizure ?

I believe the correct wordage would be supercedure as in a procedure the bees are using to make a new queen....A super seizure is when you buy 10 hives and go out only to find someone sprayed without telling you and you have one....

**geebob** · 07-09-2011, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by HONEYDEW

A super seizure is when you buy 10 hives and go out only to find someone sprayed without telling you and you have one....

Or what you have when your $25 queen flies away after you uncork her cage!

**RAK** · 07-10-2011, 12:55 AM

Most likely you have a healthy cell with a new queen on the way. I have watched unfertile cells and usually they dont get capped or they get capped for a day or two and then get torn down.