[Jackam]

I opened up my three hives today and found eggs, capped brood, and/or larvae in each. I was happy. I installed the packages on the 14th.

In the first hive I saw something that I had never seen before - MY FREE_ROAMING QUEEN! I looked for the wagon wheel and didn't see it. As a matter of fact, the bees around her really weren't super interested in what she was doing. This hive is my least active (at the entrance) so I knew something might be up. I did see eggs, larvae, and capped brood. She was just walking around. (It was the queen - not a drone)
Then I saw the queen cell! It is on one side of the frame, with another on the opposite side. A frame next to that had yet another!

Evidently they didn't like her laying patterns or something!

Well, this is exciting. Now I just have to figure out if there's going to be a fight to the death between her and one of the new queens, or if she's going to vacate - taking some of the bees with her.

There's plenty of room in the brood box yet so I don't think the hive is unhappy with their digs, but maybe! I am going to put up a swarm trap just in case. Might not do any good, but it can't hurt.

Ok, last year, with one hive I would be in panic mode. This year, with three, I am excited!
I hope I'm not disappointed.

 

[e-spice]

I am a first time beekeeper and I think I'd be more excited if the queen was healthy and laying well.

 

[Slow Drone]

Do what you do ,but I've never seen a superceded queen swarm.Been doing this for quite a while, but if it gives you comfort go for it.I wouldn't dis respect anyone for that.Quite often the new queen and the supercede queen will lay together for a while before she's disposed with.Interesting to me that there's a queen cell at that stage of development 13 days after install let alone that much capped brood in MI.Just saying.I used to fish Fenton Lake U.S.23 side.

 

[Blessed Farms]

You could move her, some pollen/honey, and frames of eggs/larva to a new hive. Leave the queen cells and as much capped brood frames behind. With a little luck you will have two hives. This way you will know if she's bad or not and with all the young bees in the queens new hive you should end up with some extra drawn frames. Good luck!

 

[Jackam]

Do what you do ,but I've never seen a superceded queen swarm.

Yeah, the more I've thought about this, the more it makes sense that they will stay but need new leadership!

 

[Jackam]

I am a first time beekeeper and I think I'd be more excited if the queen was healthy and laying well.

Well, I've been there, done that. This is new to me!
I'd be more satisfied if all was well and they were going by the book, but I wouldn't be more excited!

 

[Jackam]

You could move her, some pollen/honey, and frames of eggs/larva to a new hive.

I thought about that tonight as well. It would be the perfect time to split - except that they came from a package and that would leave me with two fledgling hives and not one stronger one. I know I'll regret letting nature take its course, but I think that's best for me right now. (Unless I get enough cajoling to make the move!)

 

[Jackam]

I opened this hive today for the first time since my original post.
I was pleased to see eggs, capped brood and some larvae. Nature works!

This hive is very slow compared to my others but the others did not go through a revolution. I still have three and a half frames in this hive that are untouched. I have a couple that are partially drawn and some that don't seem to be drawn very deep but have eggs.

There was one queen cup left - no sign of the others. The remaining one was sealed a month ago. It has an opening in it now, if it's even the same one!

We have one heckuva flow going on and even though I want this hive to draw comb, I figure it would be crazy to try to feed.

I put a second deep on a nearby hive. I expect that I am at least two weeks away from adding one onto this hive. In a few weeks, if this one is still lethargic, would it be wise to get a frame of eggs/brood/larvae from the new deep next door and put it in the deep that I will be adding? I've never added a frame of bees to a newly added deep. (I use plastic foundation and it would be the only thing drawn in the upper deep if I did it.) or should I just let it keep on keeping on?