Advice required

[jeff4051]

We did an A/S last week, checked today, original hive no queen, no eggs, two supercedure cells plenty of nurse bees.
Hive 2 had a quick peek 3 frames plus some extra nurse bees, syrup, last week there were capped queen cells, leaving it for 3 weeks. So hive one what to do leave it or keep checking on weekly basis???

 

[Swarm]

Remind us what you did. The original hive (which is moved to another spot) was left with QC?
The AS (containing queen, no cells, foundation frames and flying bees on original site) last week had capped cells? It doesn't sound like an AS, unless you lost your queen for some reason.

 

[jeff4051]

Last week checked hive no queen many swarm cells capped. Moved 3 frames with capped cells to new hive, foundation and syrup, doing ok. Old hive no queen, swarm cells. Checked today old hive now has supercedure cells, no queen, should we treat the same leave it alone now for 2 to 3 weeks. Advice would be appreciated.

 

[Davelin]

If you had no queen and capped cells last week then they had probably swarmed already; so what you have done is not an A/S.

I would have left them as one colony with one or two QCs. If you have split them then leave a couple of QCs in each and leave them for 3 weeks and see what happens.

 

[Swarm]

It sounds like you've lost a swarm and with the cells being capped, you don't know their status so best to leave them to it.

 

[jeff4051]

We were not sure what happened last week, the bees were not happy very grouchy, the hive was full of bees. We were not sure if she had gone the hive was so full. Incase she was hiding we reduced the colony. Looking back we did it wrong, but it might turn out ok. Should we just leave both hives for 2 to 3 weeks hoping we get 2 new queens.?????????????????????

 

[Swarm]

Yes. Good luck.

 

[jeff4051]

Thank you, it is nice to be reassured. When we opened the original hive today we didn't know what to expect, but we were pleasantly surprised to see supercedures cells.

 

[oliver90owner]

If you did whatever (not an A/S) last week, it is likely the queen(s) has/have only just emerged.

It/they is/are likely to need the best part of two weeks to come into lay after emergence - dependent on the weather of course (so it could be considerably longer than two weeks). There is no way that you should see capped brood by then (there will be a low probability of that), but hopefully open brood. If there were capped brood by then the queen cells must have been capped earlier than a week ago. The timings might be workable from your previous inspection and observations, otherwise it is a waiting game.

We have to make an assumption here that 'last week' does mean seven days ago. Timings are important.

RAB

I very much doubt you have supercedure cells (if there was no queen present).

 

[jeff4051]

Swarm cells were on top and bottom of frames last week. Today only one large cell on bottom frame. In middle of foundation 3 lovely supercedure cells which were not there last week. Plenty of brood, no eggs.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Jeff
You seem to be struggling a bit there with your bees, why don't you ask someone with a little more experience to have a look at them for you? it could be of benefit to you and your bees. You have two forward thinking and friendly BKA's on your doorstep - you couldn't do wrong with either. Why don't you get in touch with one of them and see what they could do for you?

 

[jeff4051]

yes will give them a ring tomorrow.

 

[oliver90owner]

I will re-iterate - you will not have supercedure cells produced unless there is a queen present. That is by definition and not a subjective conclusion

 

[BeeJayBee]

Jeff, have you read the WBKA booklet "I have queen cells in my hive" http://www.wbka.com/images/education/a012queencells.pdf

There are other useful guides on the site http://www.wbka.com/education.html

 

[jeff4051]

I will bow to your superior knowledge, We assumed they were supercedure cells as they were as described 2-3 bunched together on the middle of comb.