[dp]

in one hive. I split this hive the last of March and decided to let the bees raise their own queen. This queen lays a good solid pattern. However, I also found a virgin queen running around. Since I run mediums with pc there were 4 queen cells on the bottom of the frames. 2 were still capped and 2 were open. What should I be on the lookout for? A swarm? If so would 1 queen or both leave. Will the virgin queen and the old queen fight? The old queen did not look healthy. She was a rust color and did not move to well. Should I just wait and see what happens?

 

[power napper]

Were the queen cells open from the side or open from the bottom of the cells?

 

[dp]

They were open from the side.

 

[Michael Bush]

The queen doesn't emerge from the side, but when they kill a queen and remove her they tear it open from the side.

 

[power napper]

When they are open from the side means that they were destroyed--not hatched. Most likely the queen that "does not look too good", moving slowly, is on her way out--probably stung by the other queen. When the cells are on the bottom of frames means swarms.