More queen cells after artificial swarm

[Jimmys Mum]

On Saturday I carried out yet another artificial swarm (Pagden method) after finding charged queen cells in another one of my hives. Now 5 days on, I discover there are a new batch of charged queen cells in the Q+ part! This is a new scenario for me.

So, a bit more detail...... today I went and checked carefully through both parts of the artificial swarm. As I expected the Q- part had capped the single open queen cell which I left on Saturday and had produced another 8 emergency queen cells which I broke down. Fine.

The Q+ part (situated on the original site) still contains the one brood frame transferred with the queen on Saturday. Two of the frames of foundation used to fill the new hive have been drawn and one frame contains eggs. However there were also 3 new queen cells on the old brood frame. These were not there on Saturday - I checked very carefully. The queen cells contained small larvae in a pool of royal jelly. I broke them all down.

I've done a good search on the forum and in my books and they all say something along the lines of Hooper....."At the next manipulation the colony on the old site should be examined to see that the old queen is laying up the empty combs and that no queen cells are being made". But no mention of what to do if there are.

My question is, if I inspect this colony again at the weekend and find yet more queen cells what should I do? My thought is that despite an AS, they may still have the blimmin 'swarm fever' and that I may need to cull the queen and let them raise a new queen (which will likely be poor quality) but I am reluctant to do this unless I have to as it will create a brood break in this colony.

Any advice gratefully received.

JM

 

[Loubee7]

This may be a very daft question....I will ask it anyway...but could you theoretically try and artificially swarm/ split that box again?? Just wondering....?

 

[TOBY-3652]

I had this with a couple of mine last year. they went in the end. what I am going to try do this year if I find advanced queen cells .is put the old bitch of a queen in a nuc and let them raise a new queen. then at least the old queen cant take half the bees. or iff shese old squish her and let them raise a new one.. I had thought of clipping her I mignt try that with a colonie