Hive inspection

[lethargicdoc]

NO, NO, NO. Removing queen cells and adding space "OUTSIDE THE BROOD NEST: will not prevent swarming. If not already there, place the empty frame in the brood nest.
Also, I have never known a hive to swarm and leave only 1 queen cell.  Check in 5 or 6 days, looking for several queen cells. Otherwise, your idea looks good.

Ok I checked today.  I had removed only 1 frame but they have 3 frames with very little on them.  Today they had 2 queen cells but these were in the center of the frame.  I think I queen is week.  I saw some very young brood but also quite a few empty cells.  I think  they want to superceede her.  Should I remove more frames and replace with empties to be sure they have enough space. I can't check them for 2 weeks now.  Thanks.

[lethargicdoc]

well what Iddee said... if you suspect swarming the simplest policy is to remove the existing queens and 4 or 5 frames in the form of a nuc... set this aside but not too far away and if the queen cell in the older hive does not make it to a laying queen (there is some significant natural failure rate here) you can always add back the old queen in the form of a paper combine...

The problem is I can not find the queen in this hive.  I can find the queen in my other 2 hive but not his one.   :'(

[lethargicdoc]

I hope y'all aren't getting tired of helping me.  I really appreciate all you help.

Ok bee friends I need expert opinions please.  I have a hive that I got as a nuc this year.  It now has 2 deeps and a deep honey super.  I have never been able to find the queen or see eggs in this hive.  Today I saw some very young c- shaped larva.  But not many.  There is also capped brood.  There are 3 frames that are only partially built on in the 2 lower boxes.  I removed a swarm cell (entire frame) from this hive 6 days ago and added the honey supper and an empty frame.  Today I saw 2 supersedure queen cells.  I left them I think the queen may be week bc I saw a lot of empty cells (unless there were eggs I just wasn’t seeing).  Do y’all think I handled that right?  Should I add eggs in a queen cell from another hive.  I can check on them for 2 weeks.

My next hive is a swarm I caught 3 weeks ago.  2 weeks ago the queen was there and I saw eggs and larva.  Last week there was no queen or larva, only capped cells.  I added the frame from my other hive that had a swarm queen cell, some brood and capped cells.  Today the queen cell is capped.  I also added 3 queen cell cups with eggs in them from a third hive.  They have wax on 5 frames but only fully on 3.  I can not check them for 2 weeks.  Do I give them a second deep?

My third and final hive (swarm caught 2 weeks ago) has a queen laying in a good pattern with larva of all ages.  They have wax on 5 frames although not fully on all 5.  Since I can’t check on them for 2 weeks.  Should I add another deep?

Thank you all for any help you can provide.

[iddee]

I think you have it all under control. I would not add a box to any hive that has the equivalent of one whole frame empty. One frame, even broken up, IE: 1/4 frame empty on 4 frames, it is good to go for 2 weeks. Relax and enjoy your trip, or whatever you plan for 2 weeks. All seems to be well in the Apiary.

[Green bee]