Queen cells help!!!!!

**AdamDCole** · 06-28-2012, 02:43 PM

So I noticed less than normal activity in one of my hives the last few days so I opened it up. I'm pretty sure the queen swarmed with a handful of bees (there are still 5-6 full frames worth of bees at least during the middle of the day) and I've found 5 queen cells. I can't tell the difference between ones that might be in the act of being capped and ones that might have been broken into and killed. I assume since most of the openings and partial openings are at the bottom of the cell that they are in the act of being capped. I don't feel comfortable cutting out the "extra" cells and leaving one since I don't really know what I am doing at all. I'm concerned that they will all hatch and Ill end up with no queen at all. Any help? Is it normal for a queen cell in the act of being capped so have the cap formed and attached at on point like the lid of a bottle being closed? Anyway, 3 of the 5 seem to be full capped and whole. How long until they hatch? Should I just bight the bullet and go back in tomorrow and cut out all but one???? Help!

**Walliebee** · 06-28-2012, 02:50 PM

Everything if fine. The ones with the flap have already hatched. The others will hatch anytime, or be destroyed by the ones that have hatched. Let the queens work it out. You will end up with one laying queen when they are done. Make a note to begin to look for new eggs in a couple of weeks.

**stever** · 06-28-2012, 02:53 PM

Adam, I was going to ask almost the same question when I found yours so hopefully there are some ideas.....
Installed 4 nucs may 20.
3 of nucs just had second box added (thanks to all the help on here)
4th colony is at 5 frames drawn comb, honey,looks like capped brood, was larvae 3 days ago, now I dont see any. Quite a number of bees,
4 perfect looking queen cells - like you would see in a graffing frame! No queen was spotted.
Lots of pollen and honey on frames.....
I am thinking my queen was virgin or died, new queen is about to be born and will need to be mated... then produce?
Will this hive survive? I dont have any more to rob a nuc etc....

**AdamDCole** · 06-28-2012, 03:06 PM

Yeah my concern was that I might end up with the one survivor being injured. I also have only first year hives that I started in early may. Will there be enough drones around with only 2 month old hives to mate with a new queen? I mean I suppose there will be wild ones too.

**stever** · 06-28-2012, 03:37 PM

I would think there is. One of my concerns is there enought time? The dearth of summer will be in about 3 weeks right at time they need pollen and nectar....