Is supercedure on its way?

[hamptor]

Yesterday we hit 70 degrees so I checked on my 2 remaining hives.   In my favorite hive (nice, gentle bees), I found lots of bees, a queen, a few uncapped larva - still small, pollen in cells, and nectar (or some sort of liquid because not much is blooming around here yet).   The hive has 3 medium supers.   What I did not find was much capped brood at all.  I did find one closed supercedure cell in middle of a frame, and one open swarm cell at the bottom.  They have plenty of space for egg laying.   There's still honey in the top super and it's relatively heavy. 
I'm wondering if they might be getting ready to supercede this queen.   This is her 2nd year.

My other hive (the aggressive one that I posted about a month ago) is still loaded with bees.   It has larva in cells, but not much capped brood.   It's basically in the same shape as the hive I described above.   Didn't see any queen cells of any type being made.  Also very few drone cells.
Would the recent rounds of really cold weather (for our area) have stunted brood production? 

[iddee]

Sounds like they may have already superceded and just haven't removed the last 2 cells. Although as a GENERAL RULE, supercedure cells are mid-frame and swarm cells are on bottom, it is not always true. A better measurement is supercedure cells are 4 or less, swarm cells are 6 or more.

Yes, a cold snap will reduce laying.

[brooksbeefarm]

If we keep having weather like most every one on the forum has had this year, we may have to learn beekeeping all over again. The queen usually won't lay anymore eggs than the brood can cover, and at this time of year the cluster won't be that much, especially this year. JMHO Jack

[LazyBkpr]

   if you have a capped queen cell it is likely..  I would let them do it...  Is there a larvae in the swarm cell or is it just the cup? With the capped cell in the middle already capped it probably makes little difference so long as that cell is viable. if your luck holds, you may have two laying queens for a while.


   Mr. Wiz, what makes you think they have already superseded and have yet to destroy the last two cells from the statement she made?  I am still re reading trying to spot the clues you saw and I did not??   
   edit;
   Wait, the open swarm cell at the bottom.. meaning it had not been capped yet, or a queen had emerged and there is a neat round hole in the end of the empty cell?

[iddee]

No capped brood, but eggs and small larva.

She emerged on day 16, mated by day 21 or after, and started laying within the last week. All brood emerged on day 21. I'm thinking emergency rather than purposeful supercedure.

[LazyBkpr]

ok, made sense when i thought about that opened cell in the correct light.