Swarming Hive

[Busy Bee]

Hi,

I carried out a hive inspection and upprehended the queen as the hive have several swarm cells. I carried out an AS not problems. Now a week later I inspected the new BB and to my surprise I got a new swarm cell in the new BB, which I removed until another inspection.

However I carried out an inspection on old BB to find the swarm cells torn down and no queens, this is weird. Ideas plaese.

Busy Bee

 

[Hivemaker.]

However I carried out an inspection on old BB to find the swarm cells torn down and no queens, this is weird. Ideas plaese.

Virgin queen emerged,and other cells were destroyed.

 

[drstitson]

new hive superceding, old hive has emerged unmated virgin.

 

[Busy Bee]

Senario, if I place a frame of eggs in old BB and they draw out a QC, would it be a fair assumption the VQ has also swarmed. I hav'nt tested this hive yet but had a good search for virgin queen and was unable to find her but this is not to say she is still resident..I was'nt able to find the the hatched cell it was gone.

Busy Bee

 

[Poly Hive]

Use a test frame.

PH

 

[the naked beekeeper]

Is it common for the new hive with old queen and flyers to make queen cells?

I too have ASd a colony only to find HM present and a couple of QCs too.
She was last years queen.

 

[drstitson]

"Is it common for the new hive with old queen and flyers to make queen cells?"

supercedure

apparently not uncommon for the new colony to replace HM once they are settled in new home ie they are just using her as a vehicle for her own demise.

 

[Busy Bee]

What will you do with her?

Quite possibly supersedure, cell on top of frame...


Busy Bee

 

[the naked beekeeper]

It wasn't my colony, but the beekeeper who's it was, said to despatch her.
He didn't want to risk losing a cast swarm even if it was supercedure (don't know if that is a possibility.)