Duff Queen?

[Graymich]

I did my first full inspection of the year a week ago. 4 hives were fine but one had no brood eggs or larva apart from half a dozen capped drone cells.
14x12 frames - Lots of bees - ample honey stores - lots of pollen and very active bees - lots of foraging.
I suspected that the queen was still in the hive but I could not find her.

I inspected again today (1 week later) , I still could not find the queen. There was still no worker brood - only an increase in drone brood but only on the parts of the frame you wold expect i.e. bottom and corners.
There was now one very large capped queen cell in the middle of the frame which I would take to be supersedure cell.
Could they be trying to make a queen out of drone larva?
I gave them a frame of brood, eggs and larva from one my other hives.
Any thoughts or recommendations appreciated.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

sounds like you have a duff/dead queen - any photos of the brood?

 

[Graymich]

Sorry no I didnt take any photos - I will try and take some next time I inspect as I thought the queen cell was interesting especially as I know there wasnt any worker larva or brood a week ago

 

[enrico]

Sorry no I didnt take any photos - I will try and take some next time I inspect as I thought the queen cell was interesting especially as I know there wasnt any worker larva or brood a week ago

It won't make a queen so you need to kill the queen and combine, or add a frame of eggs and young larvae

 

[Antipodes]

Could they be trying to make a queen out of drone larva?

They will do that sometimes. Here is a photo I took as an example.

 

[Graymich]

It won't make a queen so you need to kill the queen and combine, or add a frame of eggs and young larvae

Thanks - I could not find the queen so will just have to hope she is dead - I added a frame of brood with some eggs and larvae.

 

[Graymich]

They will do that sometimes. Here is a photo I took as an example.

Very interesting - I will take a photo of the queen cell when I next inspect.. I assume a queen cell with drone larvae will make a larger than normal drone.

 

[Antipodes]

Very interesting - I will take a photo of the queen cell when I next inspect.. I assume a queen cell with drone larvae will make a larger than normal drone.

You'd think so, but frequently I find the grub dead inside or poorly developed. Sometimes they are completely empty even though sealed.

 

[enrico]

Thanks - I could not find the queen so will just have to hope she is dead - I added a frame of brood with some eggs and larvae.

Never presume you have no queen! You may open the queen cell and find a worker bee in there. Usually the wrong way round. They do it for a joke!

 

[North End Bees]

Thanks - I could not find the queen so will just have to hope she is dead - I added a frame of brood with some eggs and larvae.

If the DLQ is still in there somewhere they won't raise QCs on the test frame.