[maynard]

I have something weird going on in one of my hives that I don't understand. I have a hive that went queenless at some point. All of the brood has completely hatched out, and the population is starting to decline.

But....

It has 4 or so capped queen cells in it. They must be dead or something right? The math just doesn't make any sense to me.

Unless they went on a robbing spree and robbed out some eggs from a near by hive. ;-)

Any thoughts?

 

[ElderBombadil]

I think in about 8 days those should hatch... then you can find out.

 

[maynard]

Agreed. It'll be time to check them on Monday actually. This has just been boggling my brain. I opened one of the queen cells that day and my wife says she remembers it moving. I don't, but that's not saying much! It was still a larva, and hadn't pupated yet.

The only thing that I can figure is that the queen didn't lay anything for a week or so, laid up some queen cells, and then headed for the hills.

Heck I don't know. We'll see!

 

[pndwind]

opcorn:

 

[Lburou]

Well, if the brood is hatched out (that takes about 21 days total), and it takes about 16 days for a queen to emerge......Then, assuming all were eggs laid the same day, the queen cells are late (read dead)......Unless they have drone brood in them.....Or, if the eggs in the queen cells were laid just before the queen failed or left, then they could be viable.....? What is your backup plan if the cells do not hatch?

 

[maynard]

Add the bees to other hives, and store the comb for next year.

 

[maynard]

They were indeed dead cells. They were still in there. Unfortunate, but not unexpected.

 

[Nabber86]

Somebody posted this "queen rearing calculator" awhile back when I was asking questions. I have it bookmarked and have found it to be very useful:


http://www.thebeeyard.org/queen-rearing-calendar/