Worldwide Beekeeping
Beekeeping => Beekeeping 101 => Topic started by: rodmaker on March 22, 2014, 11:04:18 am
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I have two hives with plenty of room not blocked by honey yet on the bottom of the bars in upper brood chamber they have started to build two queen cells. The cells are only about one quarter inch deep. Question is will the bees do this out of habit in the spring or are they really preparing to swarm?
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Some photos would be nice. Sound like queen cups? Where are the cells located on the frame?
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They may just be queen cups? (thats what i'm thinking you have)The Russian breed of of bees will have queen cups all summer long, and other breeds will build them and tear them down. If they are queen cells? they are either going to swarm or supersede the old queen. Jack
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It sounds like queen cups if there is on eggs or larva in them. the bees will build them and have some and as long as the brood chamber is not crowded and the queen has lots of room to lay then eggs generally wont get laid in them.
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Thank you for the advise i believe they are cups as you say due to size and location on the bottom bar of the frame and only two in the box. I am just a third year beekeeper and have a lot to learn. I have not seen this before and that is why i asked the question. The only dumb question is the one not asked!
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I make the distinction between a 'dry queen cell cup' (meaning it has no egg or larvae in the cup itself) vs a 'queen cell' (which does have egg, larvae or is capped and will fairly quickly produce a virgin queen). This is somewhat important since a lot of new beekeepers see the 'dry queen cell cup' and automatically assume their hive is going to swarm. I am not certain anyone really know why hives produce dry cups and some seem to produce a few and some many.
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rodmaker,
some helpful information, go to this thread, post #1:
Queen Cell Identification (http://www.worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/index.php/topic,153.0.html)
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My theory is that bees build these just in case queen cups to keep the queen from slacking. As in: keep laying or else!
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my theory is.......survival....... :yes:
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Pistol! You're sounding like a Pimp! Now Come On! :laugh:
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Not where I was going with that at all. The image I had in my head was of some bees in hard hats building queen cups and some others in police uniforms following the queen around.
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Not where I was going with that at all. The image I had in my head was of some bees in hard hats building queen cups and some others in police uniforms following the queen around.
that sounds like down town eastside, in Vancouver where the pimps hang out.
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May bee they just like to plan ahead, just in case.
If you constantly remove the dry cells they just make more.
dont bother, it good to know where they are , makes inspecting faster
mvh Edward :P
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I am just learning what to look for and i opened the hive again yesterday and found more queen cups they were all empty. Like you said maybe they need the practice or are just ready in case needed but there is a lot of room in this hive.
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as far as I know from what I have read. no one really know 'why' a hives produces queen cell cups that then seem to exist for ages totally unused. it does seem some kinds of bees make more and some make less.... but basically no one really knows the answer to question why.
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Maybee its the workers way of telling the Queen to beehave and get to work or we will replace you :D ;)
mvh Edward :P