After a split the bees make cells where ever they find the best, most-likely larvae to cook themselves up a queen. If that's the same place where swarm cells might also be (in different circumstances), then so be it. But it certainly doesn't mean that a swarm is the likely outcome in this case, because without a queen, they won't swarm.

The other half knows itself to be QR, so no queen cells there, unless they were already -and still are -on the road to swarming. It's possible that the queen cells in the split were actually started as queen cups with eggs in the original, unsplit hive and the original colony, with their queen, are still bent on swarming despite the set back caused by the split. I'd check that the original colony again over the weekend and be prepared to use all possible anti-swarming manipulations to further interrupt it, including another split if they need it. They won't likely leave until they've (re)organized the resources to secure the success of the left-behind colony, but if you have a good flow, in a still-strong hive they can get that done pretty fast.

In the already-split off hive, are there queen cells on more than one frame? If so, and if you also think the original colony with its queen are still determined to swarm, one possibility is that you could take her (the original queen) out, with a few resources, put her in a nuc in an artificial swarm manipulation. Then move a frame with some of the already-started queens cells back from the first split to get the remaining bees on a fast(er) track towards being requeened. This will hep stretch the original colony's resources into three parts (it sounds like the first split may be able to give-back some resources to help with the balance, if needed.)

That way the old queen will think she has already swarmed (move her away from her position on the old stand, but not necessarily far away) and the two splits will be busy getting themselves re-queened and re-established so they won't swarm, either. (At least for now.)

Immediately install anti-robbing precautions for everybody, including on the splits so there will be no need to add them when the new queens are out getting mated.

Not perhaps the most elegant one into three split, but sometimes you have to work with what you'v got. There are also tons of variations on this that others may suggest, many likely better than my first take.

But the main lessons here: queen cell "position", alone, does not mean a swarm is imminent. It depends on the overall circumstances of the colony. And a queenless hive is not going to swarm (particularly if you reduce the queen cells to a smaller number.)

And that it's easy to miss some clues (i.e. were there queen cups with eggs in them before you made the split) and then misinterpret what you see afterward.

Delightful, but sometimes maddeningly inscrutable bugs.

Enj.

 

The first thing you did wrong is defining qeencells as something other than queencells. There are no such things as 'swarm' cells. A hive builds a bunch of queencells to swarm or a few cells to supercede a queen, location on frame dictates little about the intent. Other than that, sounds like you did well. One thing I like to do is check back 4-5 days later and cull any capped cells I find and leaving any nice open cells. I figure those early capped cells were older larva rush jobs and I want them to have selected a larva that has hatched post split so I know it was as young as possible.

 

So after a weekend spent battling the stomach flu in my house I made it out Sunday to check on the hives. I ended up cutting out all but four of the queen cells. I left two capped that are close together and two uncapped that are on different frames. I'm still on the fence about whether or not to remove any more and if I do which ones to remove. Since they've pretty much built out 80% of their bottom box I gave them a second box of foundation to have something to do. I'll leave them alone for the next couple of weeks and let them do their thing while they raise a new queen. I figure I'll give them a mite treatment once they become broodless.

The QR half hasn't built any queen cells and the queen seems to be laying well. The only thing I've noticed is that she's not laying in a rainbow pattern, but laying all the way to the top and side bars. So maybe the workers are just sticking pollen wherever they can find room for it. There is one frame that has lots of pollen in it, so that's good I think. They've started to draw out the box of foundation I gave them on Friday, so hopefully they'll get that drawn out pretty quickly. I'll keep an eye on them every 5-7 days just to make sure that they aren't planning on taking off.

 

If I am reading this right - the bees are getting ready to swarm after the split. You found cells on the bottom of the frames - that's swarm cells. in the middle of the frame is emergency cells so yes - where the cells are located does have a meaning (Sorry JRG) There running out of room after the split - this is why your finding honey in the brood nest.

 

I think you might be conflating the two hives. The hive with queen cells is the queenless half of the split. The queenright half isn't making queen cells. I gave them another deep box to play with and they've started drawing it out and actually the queen has moved up and started laying there. There are about 5 1/2 to 6 frames of brood and two frames of pollen/nectar.

 

Beekeepers often have different, even conflicting opinions. I just want to say I agree with enjambres & JRG13 and disagree with sakhoney.

But the main lessons here: queen cell "position", alone, does not mean a swarm is imminent. It depends on the overall circumstances of the colony. And a queenless hive is not going to swarm (particularly if you reduce the queen cells to a smaller number.)

 

My bad - The queenless hive is making cells yes - this is the norm as there trying to get queenrite.