[theholtman]

I made a few splits a few weeks ago and one ended up pretty weak, but did manage to squeeze a Queen cell out of it. An emergency Queen I assume.

Today, checking to see if Queen was out my timing was perfect to see her chewing through. The cell was entirely closed except for a tiny hole and movement behind it. I was able to open the cell a bit more w my hive tool and out she gently comes.

https://youtu.be/OyOHIM5slG4

BUT .... that doesn’t look like a Queen to me!
Q1: can workers be a result of an emergency cell?
Q2: or am I just looking at a very small Queen?

These forums are always helpful to me, I appreciate your help today!

 

[little_john]

I made a few splits a few weeks ago and one ended up pretty weak, but did manage to squeeze a Queen cell out of it.

am I just looking at a very small Queen?

Haven't seen the video (haven't got time) - but yes is the answer, as a weak queenless colony will predictably create a small queen - or runt.

Which is why it's never a good idea for the queenless half of a split to make a new queen, unless it's the parent colony (on the original stand) - and only then if it's strong.
LJ

 

[Oldtimer]

BUT .... that doesn’t look like a Queen to me!

It isn't

can workers be a result of an emergency cell?

No. Drones can, although they almost never survive long enough to hatch,

or am I just looking at a very small Queen?

No, it's a worker, and a reasonably old one.


The queen cell had already hatched and a worker went in to clean it. The cell lid may appear to have been closed, that happens.

 

[JWPalmer]

Just watched the video and agree with OT. Not a queen, and not just emerged. Housekeeper bee.

 

[ruthiesbees]

I'd have to say just this last Friday, I was checking on a hive where I had removed all but 2 queen cells. Nice fat ones on the edge of the topbar combs. By my count of when I removed the queen (April 30) the queens should have emerged. Was surprised to see that both of the cells were covered over with a heavy amount of wax, and the ends were not thinned out or open at all. I dug into one of them and there lay a dead worker. I should have taken a picture, but didn't. I dug into the other cell and out popped a very skittish virgin. I didn't want to lose her to the air, so I quickly set the bar back down in the hive.

I may have missed one of the other queen cells in the hive, which is why they didn't release her, although I'm pretty sure I either moved the rest over to other queenless hives or destroyed queen cells. I'll have another look through that hive on Mon/Tue to see if there might be another queen in there.

 

[Ravenseye]

Just looked at this. That's not a queen. New queens do not look like that. As Oldtimer said, it's just a regular worker.

 

[Bdfarmer555]

Just a worker. Queen likely emerged earlier.

I've had them seal queen cells with nothing in them. A friend has had several (he raises and sells queens) with workers dead in them. The workers were head up, presumably cleaning the cell out when a sister sealed her in.