Supersedure cells?

3341 Views 14 Replies 7 Participants Last post by WRLCPA, Jun 18, 2014

WRLCPA

Discussion Starter · May 20, 2014

I am looking for conformation. Went to see if my queen cells? had been caped today and they are. There appears to be about 5-6 in the hive. I didn't stay too long today.

Quick background. I think my package that was installed May 8 is now queenless and they are either superseding or emergency queening. The hive smelt different today and I am seeing propolus (Sp?) in the hive for the first time.

Today is day 12 for this package, I think these queen sells are 9 days old as the original queen was laying right away, and there is now capped brood as well

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Bees of SC

· #2 · May 20, 2014

You are right..Queen goen!

tomkat

· #3 · May 20, 2014

Beautiful!!

WRLCPA

Discussion Starter · #4 · May 20, 2014

Ok, finally I feel like I'm getting it, thanks bees of sc but whats going to happen now? I have about 5-6 of them. Queen emerges and kills the remaining and the hive starts over essentially?

I am reduced to not expecting honey from this package and even more concern it will not make the northern Vermont winter.....

Tomkat, what are you seeing that is beautiful? I mean I see what I wanted to see and hoped for. I hope I was hoping for what I got for the right reasons. Make sense?

This is my first 12 days with bees so help me understand....Thx everyone

Slow Drone

· #5 · May 21, 2014 (Edited)

Eggs in the right side of the comb tells me she's been there within the last 24 hrs. or less. She's still there

Nope you haven't quite got it yet. Read psfred's post then you'll get it. Good job psfred:applause:

tomkat

· #6 · May 21, 2014

Not read all the post,, but I would use those QC's for making a nuc or two.
Or post them, quickly to your bee group.

If you make a nuc you can always combine it latter.
I am always making splits and raising queens just in case.:thumbsup:

psfred

· #7 · May 21, 2014

Packages will often make queen cells and then tear them down. A package is an artificial swarm, and the bees get confused with no brood and bees of all ages tumbled in with a new queen. One of mine did the same thing at about the same time, then next time I looked I had several solid frames of brood and no queen cells, way too fast for a queen to have emerged and mated (especially since I didn't have drones flying from my overwintered hive).

Put it all back together and wait a week and see what's in there. Likely you will find more comb, more open brood, and no queen cells.

Peter

WRLCPA

Discussion Starter · #8 · May 21, 2014

Slow Drone said:
Eggs in the right side of the comb tells me she's been there within the last 24 hrs. or less. She's still there Nope you haven't quite got it yet. Read psfred's post then you'll get it. Good job psfred:applause:

I see what you are referring too, but I do not think those are eggs. I think it is light shining off the nectar because although I did not do a thorough inspection, I was looking for eggs too and did not see any.

WRLCPA

Discussion Starter · #9 · May 21, 2014

tomkat said:
Not read all the post,, but I would use those QC's for making a nuc or two.
Or post them, quickly to your bee group.

If you make a nuc you can always combine it latter.
I am always making splits and raising queens just in case.:thumbsup:

I do not have enough bees to make a nuc :waiting:

Bees of SC

· #10 · May 21, 2014

Check to MAKE SURE you have or don't have a queen, the queen is most likely gone if the cells are capped. If she is there let it bee, if she is not, keep your 3 largest cells and give the rest to someone with more bees or tear them down, keep 3. The first queen out will most likely kill the other ones before going on her flight. Give it two weeks..Don't give up....My opinion

pastornater

· #11 · Jun 6, 2014

What if you only have one queen cell?

Bees of SC

· #12 · Jun 6, 2014

Same thing, if the cell is closed,the queen is most likely not there. Look for her on ever frame to make sure.

BeePappy

· #13 · Jun 6, 2014

Yes, those are Queen cells. And I agree with Slow Drone and think I see eggs, and 2 or 3 day old larvae in that upper right area. I'm no expert though, just starting 2nd year.

WRLCPA

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jun 6, 2014

Great news, yesterday I saw eggs in new comb. Hive successfully superseded

WRLCPA

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jun 18, 2014

So, a little history so this whole thread doesn't need to be reread.

This hive was a package that superseded the original queen successfully.
I added two frames of brood in a deep above the original medium. I had planned all foundationless mediums but added the deep to accommodate the brood frames.

Yesterday, I inspected the hive and found two queen cells, both at the bottom of the new comb in the new deep foundationless frames that was not yet fully drawn.
As I was looking it over, I spotted the queen. Also, saw eggs, open larva, and capped brood in the hive, as well as capped drown cells.

I am not really worried about this, because in my very short humbling experience with bees, I have learned 1 important lesson, The bees will do what they need to do.

But I am curious about a few things.

1 The population "appears" (They could have been out foraging) low, could they have already swarmed without the queen? I don't think its happens that way.
2 Are they preparing to supersede again or swarm? Would they have swarmed already or will they wait for the queen cells to emerge?
3 What if neither of these things happen and the queen cells emerge and the other queen is still there, what happens?

Thanks everyone once again. Seems every time I open the hive, I have more questions.

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