Author Topic: Searching mother hive today, what should I look for?  (Read 7737 times)

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Offline Jen

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Searching mother hive today, what should I look for?
« on: April 07, 2014, 02:13:14 pm »
I'm getting into the mother hive late this afternoon to try and figure out why all the swarming, she's two deeps. I will of course take pics. As far as queen cells, how many should I leave? should I leave them all? should I leave just one... ?

And there is what appears to be an emergency queen cell in my first swarm hive. There is a laying queen in there. Should I remove that queen cell?
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Offline barry42001

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Re: Searching mother hive today, what should I look for?
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2014, 02:37:36 pm »
there is a reason why they're drawing a supercedure cell. I would let it go the bees are replacing the queen for a reason.

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Offline Jen

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Re: Searching mother hive today, what should I look for?
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2014, 02:48:52 pm »
This is confusing to me, because she laying a tight pattern, lots of eggs, lots of larvae, and the bees are quite content...

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Offline Yankee11

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Re: Searching mother hive today, what should I look for?
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2014, 03:02:17 pm »
Is it just a cup?

Can you tell if anything is in it?

In the other hive, I would leave 2 queen cells. My neighbor left a bunch of qcells in his last year and he was chasing a swarm about every day.

Offline barry42001

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Re: Searching mother hive today, what should I look for?
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2014, 03:02:47 pm »
and might simply be a cell cup, need check and see if they have laid an egg in it

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« Last Edit: April 07, 2014, 03:03:39 pm by barry42001 »
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Offline iddee

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Re: Searching mother hive today, what should I look for?
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2014, 03:05:30 pm »
If you still have unhatched eggs still standing in the bottom of cells, with no royal jelly, it is safe to remove the cell. If not, don't.
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Offline Jen

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Re: Searching mother hive today, what should I look for?
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2014, 03:12:49 pm »
Yankee - ""Is it just a cup? Can you tell if anything is in it?""

This is what it looks like. I don't know if I can identify a queen 'cup'


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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Searching mother hive today, what should I look for?
« Reply #7 on: April 07, 2014, 03:17:41 pm »
A CUP has no egg/larvae in it Jen.  Bees build them quite often just in case they need it. If there is an egg/larvae in it then it is a queen cell, not a queen cup.
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Offline Jen

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Re: Searching mother hive today, what should I look for?
« Reply #8 on: April 07, 2014, 03:26:37 pm »
K. I'm looking up google pics right now, wiki too. Thanks!



So a queen cup would remain 'open' until it's needed... like this... right?

The one on my frame is capped
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Searching mother hive today, what should I look for?
« Reply #9 on: April 07, 2014, 03:33:12 pm »
Yes, a cup is empty, if yours is capped its most likely a cell.
   I suppose there could be some hope the bees entombed a wax moth there... but its not probable.
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Offline Jen

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Re: Searching mother hive today, what should I look for?
« Reply #10 on: April 07, 2014, 03:40:57 pm »
IF there is just one, should I worry about it?
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Offline barry42001

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Re: Searching mother hive today, what should I look for?
« Reply #11 on: April 07, 2014, 05:16:07 pm »
Only if there is a egg or larvae in it. You will see cell cups periodically.

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Offline riverbee

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Re: Searching mother hive today, what should I look for?
« Reply #12 on: April 07, 2014, 07:33:42 pm »
i keep wild things in a box..........™
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Offline G3farms

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Re: Searching mother hive today, what should I look for?
« Reply #13 on: April 07, 2014, 07:54:53 pm »
Get ready for the new and upcoming thread..................

"Jen's swarm number 6"   :laugh: :laugh:
Bees are bees and do as they please!

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Offline Jen

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Re: Searching mother hive today, what should I look for?
« Reply #14 on: April 08, 2014, 01:33:45 am »
Yankee - ""In the other hive, I would leave 2 queen cells. My neighbor left a bunch of qcells in his last year and he was chasing a swarm about every day.""

After my first swarm I was instructed to go in and illiminate all but two q cells. I did. It swarmed four more times. And, when I went in to the mother hive to snag a 5x5 piece of brood to put into the swarm box, I found 4 more queen cells.

I've got crazy bees  ;) 8) 8)
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