Queen working hard but......................

**thestainedglasschick** · 08-02-2011, 04:44 PM

Background: 1st year hive started in early May from package, currently in two 10 frame brood boxes

Question: Did a hive inspection and my queen is working hard (lots of capped brood, lots of larve in various stages, lots of eggs and good pattern) but then I find a capped queen cell with larve inside and think to myself "theyre going to swarm!" so I cut it out. Now I'm thinking and thinking about it and I don't know if this was the right thing to do. Any advice/comments?

Stephanie

**johnblagg** · 08-02-2011, 04:57 PM

better to let them raise a new one if they feel something is wrong ...they will start another one though if they need to replace her

**mrqb** · 08-02-2011, 05:04 PM

do they need more room ? both of my new pkg's started this year mid may are now in two deeps and two mediums,just a thought

**brac** · 08-02-2011, 05:08 PM

where on the frame was the cell?

**thestainedglasschick** · 08-02-2011, 05:34 PM

they only have the top deep about 40% combed out and the queen cell was located in the bottom brood box in a middle frame about 2 inches from the top

**brac** · 08-02-2011, 05:41 PM

OK, you goofed, that was not a swarm cell. Your bees don't want to leave, but they do want to replace the queen, something is wrong with her

**TriJim** · 08-02-2011, 06:20 PM

Two things the consider 1) are there drones available in your or local hives to mate a new queen? Unlikely they'd prepare to swarm without drones to mate a new queen. 2) consider making a small split with queen cells - this disrupts swarm preparations and gives you insurance if the original queen fails or leaves anyway. Good luck.

**Michael Bush** · 08-02-2011, 08:37 PM

One queen cell is not swarming. Dozens are almost certainly swarming. A few could go either way, but if the hive isn't crowded and it's not really booming, I'd guess a supersedure. One cell I would guess a supersedure or emergency. I would NOT cut out a queen cell.