I wintered this hive as a deep 10 frame and about a month ago I added another deep with new foundation. The bees have went to town on pulling the new foundation and have put a little honey, pollen in the new pulled frame but when looking in there today I saw what looks to be a queen cell being formed. This is a strong hive and has no queen excluder, I want it to build up and do a even split later in the year. I stongly believe that the bees have plenty of room, no crowding so is this just bee behaviour to put queen cells in just in case? It was the 5th frame of the hive. Thanks Clark
keep an eye on it. I would move 3-4 frames up from the broodnest, put a frame of foundation between them. Move up any nectar frames as well and put foundation between brood frames in the bottom box as well. If the hive is strong anyway,if not, cluster 2-3 frames in the middle in the bottom box alternate foundation in with the rest, put any pollen frames on the outside too. This will help them move up and reduce any swarm impulse. Watch the cell to see if there's a larvae in it or not, bees will make queen cups time to time.
Are these Russian bees? they are bad about building queen cups all Spring and Summer. Or the workers could see something going wrong with there queen and are superseding her if your only seeing 1 or 2 queen cups or cells in the middlle or upper part of the frame.
As JRG13 said, bees often make queen cups. If there's nothing in it - no worries.
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