[spreerider]

i did a check on my hive and noticed that i always have queen cells just nothing in them, if i cut them out they make more asap but they are never used, is it normal to have a few queen cells just incase?

 

[squarepeg]

with nothing in them they are called 'queen cups', and yes the bees always keep a few in the hive.

when they start feeding a larva in one it then becomes a 'queen cell', and it means they are either superceding or preparing to swarm

 

[spreerider]

thats what i thought but there were probably 10 in one hive and 4 in the other my last inspection

 

[squarepeg]

nothing to worry about, they like to keep those around for just in case. swarm season is almost here down in alabama. it's probably still early for swarming in bc, but that's when you'll want to keep a close watch on those cups.

 

[marshmasterpat]

Forgive my ignorance. So does the queen lay eggs in them as well?

 

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i don't know for sure. the workers prepare empty cells for the queen to lay in by first polishing it up and then depositing a little nectar in it. my guess is they would prepare a queen cup in the same way, but i have heard it mentioned that the workers move an egg to the queen cup. perhaps someone who knows will chime in.