supercedure cells in March??

**queenbee3074** · 03-07-2013, 01:50 PM

I'm a 2nd year beekeeper in Roseburg, Oregon. Checked my hive last week and saw what I thought to be 3 supercedure cell in the top to middle of the frame. Checked them again this week and they were pretty much gone, not just the end opened up, but kind of chewed away. Saw a queen ( that hive had an unmarked queen in it ), but not sure if it is a new one or the old one. She was'nt doing anything other than walking around. Any ideas on what might have been going on?

**beesohappy** · 03-07-2013, 09:15 PM

Sorry I have nothing to add but I also saw the same thing in one of my hives. I assumed she was a dud and stomped here on the ground. I gave the hive more brood and nurse bees also some eggs to try again. I think it takes awhile for her to hatch out and mate before she starts laying so maybe where just seeing her stretch her legs before she flies of to mate. Also someone told me if she looks real fuzzy then shes a new one, if shes all shine and doesn't have a hairy body then hes an old one.

Good luck.

**johnthefarmer** · 03-07-2013, 09:46 PM

Originally Posted by beesohappy

Sorry I have nothing to add but I also saw the same thing in one of my hives. I assumed she was a dud and stomped here on the ground.

I would always let the bees get on with supercedure and not interfere. The old queen is your insurance policy in case the new one doesn't get mated.Don't kill her off.

**queenbee3074** · 03-07-2013, 10:02 PM

She didn't look fuzzy and I thought she looked larger than what I thought a new queen would bee. Maybe she was the old one and I just didn't spot the new one. I hope to check again this weekend. Thanks

**Michael Bush** · 03-08-2013, 08:01 AM

Any drones flying?

**apis maximus** · 03-08-2013, 08:03 AM

queenbee3074,

Have you noticed anything else besides the queen cells, when you opened the hive? I know you said that "She was'nt doing anything other than walking around"...You meant at the moment you observed her?

How about evidence of prior queen activity? Any brood at all? Any young, uncapped brood? Eggs?

If the queen cells you noticed, were initially capped, that means a queen did lay eggs in them. If indeed a new queen did end up emerging, and it is a normal supersedure process, it is possible that that the old queen and the new one are still present. Nothing wrong with that...your bees are taking care of business.
I would agree with johnthefarmer on the minimal interference.

But, if you really want to observe and maybe learn more, and have another hive from which you can take a frame with eggs and young larvae, you can certainly add it to the hive in question and see what comes out of it.

Good luck!

**queenbee3074** · 03-08-2013, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by Michael Bush

Any drones flying?

Did not see any drones flying or in the hive. But since I'm fairly new, I have to say, I get down to the hive to examine them and sometimes forget everything I'm suppose to be looking for. Thanks

**queenbee3074** · 03-08-2013, 09:04 AM

You are correct, I did mean at that moment when I observed her. I did see a small area of capped brood, no uncapped or eggs that I seen. I do have another hive that I can take a frame of eggs and larvae from. Thanks

**db_land** · 03-08-2013, 09:18 PM

In the May 2012 issue of ABJ there is an article by Randy Oliver entitled "Colony Collapse Revisited". On page 496 of the ABJ he says that the presence of supersedure cells in late Feb is "yet another indicator of impending collapse". He also says that it doesn't seem to matter what the parasite or pathogen is --- the bees apparently blame the queen for their misery. Very interesting and informative reading.

**Lburou** · 03-08-2013, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by queenbee3074

Did not see any drones flying or in the hive -snip-

I hope you get some drones flying in time for your next batch of queen cells. Last Fall I found two emergency cells that were torn open by prying the frames apart for inspection....Never did get a new queen, had to combine them. Minimal interference at such times can pay dividends. On the other hand, you won't learn without looking in there, so muddle through and do the best you can.

**queenbee3074** · 03-08-2013, 09:43 PM

Thank you, I'll see if I can find the article.

**queenbee3074** · 03-08-2013, 09:48 PM

I hope to start seeing drones soon. Thanks for your information. I don't think that the frames were stuck together when I took the frames out. So, I don't think I tore them open. I would feel bad if I did that.