[Jett01]

I have a hive that is not doing well. I worried about how they were lagging a few weeks ago. I found the queen and I almost killed her then but decided to give her more time. I have never had to do this so I was probably more reluctant than I should have been.

Today, there are no eggs or larvae anywhere. A few queen cells and cups are empty. I looked for her but not real hard - it was late in the day.

Now, I caught a swarm a few weeks ago but apparently did not get their queen. I took frames of eggs from some of my best hives and added them. Yesterday I counted over 20 queen cells (most capped) spread over 3 frames.

Here comes the question part. I hate to waste all of these queen cells, especially from good stock. How risky is it to just move a few cells to the poor hive without confirming that the queen is dead? Will she kill them if she is still in there? They are capped so I don't have much time.

Suggestions?

 

[Rader Sidetrack]

Existing queens generally don't kill queen cells - if they did supersedures wouldn't happen.

 

[Dakota]

Yeah, that would still be awkward for a queen to see... "Oh, looks like I'm going to be murdered in the next 7-10 days..."

 

[Mr.Beeman]

Move them over carefully and the hive will take care of the rest. They will even do the "deed" for you.

 

[FlowerPlanter]

>I have a hive that is not doing well. I worried about how they were lagging a few weeks ago.

>I found the queen and I almost killed her
Why, what was she doing or not doing. Was she laying? What did the brood pattern look like when there was brood? Got pictures?

 

[Jett01]

Existing queens generally don't kill queen cells - if they did supersedures wouldn't happen.

Thanks. Makes so much sense I wonder why I didn't think of it myself.

 

[Jett01]

Move them over carefully and the hive will take care of the rest. They will even do the "deed" for you.

Done. Now I have 2 hives with capped queen cells from my best 2 hives. I'll be anxious to see how it turns out.

 

[Jett01]

>I have a hive that is not doing well. I worried about how they were lagging a few weeks ago.

>I found the queen and I almost killed her
Why, what was she doing or not doing. Was she laying? What did the brood pattern look like when there was brood? Got pictures?

Not sure that I can answer all of those. I initially noticed that my other 4 nucs were up into the second deep well before she was. My 2 packages were even way ahead. Early brood patterns looked fine, then there was just less of it until now there is absolutely none. I was worried that I would have laying workers before too much longer if I didn't do something.

Unfortunately I do not have pics.

 

[FlowerPlanter]

>Early brood patterns looked fine, then there was just less of it until now there is absolutely none.

Now you have a hive that has dwindled during a flow with no suplus of honey. Dwindling population means they can't raise the same amout of brood, and so on.

Sounds like EFB the only piece that is missing is the spotty brood pattern. When the brood became less and less did it look like a shot gun pattern of capped brood, open brood would have been mixed ages all together, as the brood nest becomes smaller and smaller.

Do you use HBH or EOs in your syrup?