Split a Hive and Found Queen cells.

1472 Views 2 Replies 2 Participants Last post by Jbetschart, May 4, 2015

Jbetschart

Discussion Starter · May 4, 2015

Here is the short question:
I just installed a new mated queen in her cage yesterday into a fresh split and that same evening I found (looking in through the bottom screen) three caped queen cells. So do I destroy the capped cells or will my new queen do it for me.

Here's is how I got there:
I have a strong hive overwintered that I planned to split do avoid a swarm.
Last Friday I separated the two Full deeps to see where the queen was since I have not been able to find her. All the foragers flew back to the bottom deep box and the other deep has a lot of bees in it but no foragers just nurse bees from what I can see. After keeping them separated for 2 days I moved over the one without the queen to the new stand and installed the new caged queen yesterday (Sunday). Then yesterday evening I looked underneath to see what was going through the bottom screen and noticed what looks like three capped queen cells. So I figure my two choices are when I let her out of the cage I can remove the capped cells (1). Or will my new queen destroy the capped cells once she is let out from her cage(2)?

I don't think my original queen in the original side of the split got hurt or missing even through I cant find her because they are very active and bringing in pollen still.
I also don't think I lost a swarm because both boxes are packed with bees.

Please give me some advise on my next steps about the queen cells.

Regards
JBetch

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ibeelearning

· #2 · May 4, 2015

If the queen is around in the original box, you should find eggs, and all should be well. If not, I might put one of your queen cells in there.

You didn't mention whether the queen cells where supercedure or swarm cells; or why you chose to re-queen. But:

I would be tempted to pull the queen cells in the second box before installing the new queen... and,

I would be tempted to try a third split in a nuc with the queen cells.

All that having been said, my besetting sin is to get greedy about making increases, and leave hives too weak.

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Jbetschart

Discussion Starter · #3 · May 4, 2015

Ill check the original box to see if I see small eggs to verify the queens healthy. The queen cells were in the second box.

Queen cells were at the bottom of the frames which I think says swarm but they are capped which confuses me since It doesn't look like anyone has gone anywhere.

I didn't choose to re-queen just add a new queen to my split side.

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