[ZEEBEE]

Lots happening in the hive today

My queen is dead. COuld not find her. There are no eggs. I have have larva and lots of capped brood. The queen was there two weeks ago and I had eggs, larva, and capped brood.

I did find 5 queen cells and one of them hatched. I saw what looked like the new queen but she wasn't laying. I don't know if she was fertilized yet?

I also cut out around 9 swarm cells.

I don't want them swarming on me. Losing the queen was bad enough.

Should I buy a new queen? Even if I saw the new one? What should I do with the other queen cells? I have at least 5 full frames of capped brood and lots of pollen and capped/uncapped honey.

This really stinks, but I sure am learning a lot today.

Suggestions are welome. THanks!!

 

[Michael Bush]

>Lots happening in the hive today
My queen is dead. COuld not find her. There are no eggs. I have have larva and lots of capped brood. The queen was there two weeks ago and I had eggs, larva, and capped brood.

How do you know she's dead? Maybe they swarmed.

>I did find 5 queen cells and one of them hatched. I saw what looked like the new queen but she wasn't laying. I don't know if she was fertilized yet?

She probably isn't. But virgins are hard to spot because they don't move like a queen. Anyway, she will most likely breed and start laying shortly.

>I also cut out around 9 swarm cells.

Are they on the bottoms of the frames? If so then they are swarm cells and your queen is probably a mile away living a a tree now. If they are not on the bottom but up in the middle somewhere then they are emergency or superceudre cells and they are there to make sure a good queen replaces the one that died or failed.

>I don't want them swarming on me. Losing the queen was bad enough.

My guess is they already swarmed.

>Should I buy a new queen? Even if I saw the new one?

I wouldn't.

>What should I do with the other queen cells?

It's a gamble either way. If you don't leave a couple what if this new queen fails? If she starts laying they will probably destroy the rest. But then there is always the possibility of afterswarms and if you kill all the rest of the queen cells they can't do that. You could put the queen cells in a nuc and let them finish them off and have a spare in case this one doesn't do well.

>This really stinks, but I sure am learning a lot today.

You're just getting started.

 

[ZEEBEE]

<How do you know she's dead? Maybe they swarmed.>

Maybe they did and I'm too inexperienced to tell. I would have expected a lot less bees in the hive though. I didn't notice a reduction..


<She probably isn't. But virgins are hard to spot because they don't move like a queen. Anyway, she will most likely breed and start laying shortly.>

Well, that something anyway. Will this effect the productivity of my hive significantly?

"Are they on the bottoms of the frames? If so then they are swarm cells and your queen is probably a mile away living a a tree now. If they are not on the bottom but up in the middle somewhere then they are emergency or superceudre cells and they are there to make sure a good queen replaces the one that died or failed."

They were on the bottom and were swarm cells just like my reference books show.
The ones in the middle were clearly queen cells.

<You're just getting started.>

SOunds like an ominuous warning...:>

Thanks Mike

 

[Michael Bush]

>Maybe they did and I'm too inexperienced to tell. I would have expected a lot less bees in the hive though. I didn't notice a reduction..

Somtimes a lot leave and sometimes a few leave.

>Well, that something anyway. Will this effect the productivity of my hive significantly?

She's already running around. She'll be laying by the time you could buy a queen. Probably they will be a couple of weeks behind if it was a swarm.

>They were on the bottom and were swarm cells just like my reference books show.
The ones in the middle were clearly queen cells.

Now I'm confused. Were they on the bottom the middle or both?

>Sounds like an ominuous warning...:>

Learning isn't ominous.

 

[ZEEBEE]

MB,

They were BOTH on the bottom and in the middle.

 

[Michael Bush]

Could be emergency cells then. You find them most anywhere.

 

[BULLSEYE BILL]

But were there any larva in the queen cells?

 

[ZEEBEE]

I didn't check the cells for larva. I saw one that was empty though with the bottom chewed out. I am assuming it was the one that housed the queen I saw.

Should I check them for larva tomorrow? How is that done? Do I destroy it in the process?

Sure do appreciate the help.

HAPPY EASTER!!

 

[ZEEBEE]

Oh yeah,

The swarm cells on the bottom definitely had larva. I noticed when I removed them.

 

[BULLSEYE BILL]

>Should I check them for larva tomorrow? How is that done? Do I destroy it in the process?

No, it's not necessary to disturb them for that now. You have a new queen, you removed the swarm cells with larva, and all is right with the world.

Bees make queen cells just to have on hand, they don't always intend to use them right away. It is always good to turn the frame over and give it a look up it. Shallow cups I don't bother, but if they are activly attending it there is cause to consider what is going on in the hive.