Author Topic: Supersede or Swarm??  (Read 4551 times)

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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Supersede or Swarm??
« on: June 10, 2014, 10:50:37 pm »
Found a hive that is superseding (I think?) one frame had 5 queen cells i the middle of one frame the next frame had three queen cells in the middle of th frame and the third frame i pulled had two queen cells next to each other on the bottom of the frame. I took it and put it in a queenless hive, i thought it kind of odd to have that many supersede cells, usually two or four , but 10? Maybe the girls are trying to trick me into thinking they are superseding when they are really going to swarm to keep me from breaking the hive up into nucs. :D Any thoughts. Jack

Offline Jen

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Re: Supersede or Swarm??
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2014, 11:10:27 pm »
Well Jack  :-\  I wish I could help you on that. 6 weeks ago it took me 4 hours to eliminate 29 live queens cells out of one double deep. That's just Nuts!  :o


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Offline Woody Roberts

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Re: Supersede or Swarm??
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2014, 11:28:54 pm »
I've had several supersedures this year and they've built more cells than normal. Probably averaging around five. Normally I see two or three.
Sold a queen last month and went in hoping they would have four extra cells for mating nucs. There were around 30.

Same thing with my neighbors bee that I work. I think I counted 15 by the fifth frame in. I cut 4 out and let nature take its course.

Maybe it's just a good year for queen cells.

Offline riverbee

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Re: Supersede or Swarm??
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2014, 11:29:22 pm »
hmmm, not sure jack, this hive swarm?  if it didn't, thinking not supersedure but swarm cells with that many cells, and this time of year, just my HO, so the bees were a little confused on where to build swarm cells.... :D  and they will.....  i think you are right on the swarm call rather than superseding....that's just my thought jack...


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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Re: Supersede or Swarm??
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2014, 11:48:16 pm »
Well your a female like my girls, so you should know better than me. :D Jack

Offline Jen

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Re: Supersede or Swarm??
« Reply #5 on: June 10, 2014, 11:58:41 pm »
HIIII !!


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Offline riverbee

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Re: Supersede or Swarm??
« Reply #6 on: June 11, 2014, 12:10:51 am »
"Well your a female like my girls, so you should know better than me. :D Jack"

okay, i am, and they are.....i call swarm cells....... :D :D :D
ps.  the squirt.... :D

ps nice pic jen!!!!
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Supersede or Swarm??
« Reply #7 on: June 11, 2014, 09:29:22 am »
"Well your a female like my girls, so you should know better than me. :D Jack"

okay, i am, and they are.....i call swarm cells....... :D :D :D
ps.  the squirt.... :D

ps nice pic jen!!!!


 ;D

   I'll go with River's explanation. Too many cells to be a supersedure procedure..   The queen was spotted in this hive Jack?   Not trying to second guess you, just sounds more like an emergency replacement.
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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Re: Supersede or Swarm??
« Reply #8 on: June 11, 2014, 09:40:48 am »
I never went any farther than 4 frames in the top deep, it started to rain and i had to go get the cutout hive in Springfield, Mo. I've got the truck loaded with supers and waiting for a young couple that want to go with me to some of my outyards to see what i do and look for, will be gone till dark 8) Jack