[stockcer]

I just purchased a mated queen (first time) and everything worked according to plan. They released her after 3 days and she started to lay. I left them alone and enterd yesterday to check on them to find a nearly capped supercede cell. What does this mean? What should I do?

 

[John_M]

The fact that you know what day she was released on leads me to believe you are in the colony too often. They may be blaming her for the disruption. The colony may be crowded and wants to swarm. The bees may know something about their new queen that you don't.

A few options
If you think she is a good queen, then start a nuc with her and a few frames a sealed brood and bees, and resources of course.
Let her be superceded.
Destroy all queen cells and hope they decide they like her.

If they are set on replacing her, they will, so long as they have larvae of the right age, and maybe even if they don't.

 

[JWPalmer]

Stockcer, without knowing more about you, your experience level, and the resources you have available, it is hard to say what is the best course of action. John M has given you several good options. You did not say how long the hive had been Q-. There is a chance they made a supercedure cell because of age disparity, and they just think they have a failing queen. Moving her to a nuc with a frame of bees and allowing the supercedure queen to emerge and get mated would be my choice if you are in the South. If you are more northern, then I would destroy the qc and see if they make another one.