# swarm cell questions



## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

i have been doing alot more research on swarm cells--what i am gathering from all the info and pics i have seen is...swarm cells are longer and narrower. am i correct on this? are superseder cells and swarm cells alike in appearance--just appearring on different parts of the frame? i had some one send me pics of the cells i took out of the hive, am trying to figure out how to send pics again. meanwhile i measured the cells. the two i have with me are 1" at the top and 1 1/4" at the bottom and 1/2" at the top and 1" at the bottom. there are multiple cells in them. i am feeling very sheepish at this point as i am kinda thinking its bur comb??? are swarm cells single long cells, maybe a clump of single cells together?? there are eggs and the start of larvae in them. i hope i did over-reacted no matter how dumb its gonna make me feel.
it was too windy last night to go into the hives--am going to try angain tonight.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Some where I have a couple of queen cell pictures. Just havn't found them yet.

Found one.










This one is still sealed and has a ways to go yet before it hatches.
I myself believe that the swarm cells can be any were on a frame as I have pulled several frames and had the whole bottom bar full of them and several half way up the frame in the middle. Whenthey are getting ready to swarm they build cells to raise a new queen in.

:happy2: Al


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

Al, and that is what the swarm and superseder cells both look like? both of them are technically queen cells? if that is so i dont believe that is what is going on in my hives--great news. i really appreciate you posting this pic--its one of the best pics i've seen of this.

i am loving this whole bee thing. with your guys help i will keep learning, but it is hard as i have never seen any of this before. i'll never forget the things i am learning though. i have a feeling i will look back on this time and wonder why i got so panicky. and hopefully i will be able to help another newbie out in return. and do so with a little humbleness because of my beginnings.


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## OkieDavid (Jan 15, 2007)

Mare I'm beginning to think you might be mistaking burr comb with drone cells for swarm cells


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

i have come to that conclusion to okiedavid----i have got to learn to not get so excited--i am a worry wart.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

You really need to take the time to attend those bee club meetings. Once you become a regular there some one will surely do a hive inspection with you at least once.

Two things happened in my life that promoted where I am at bee keeping wise.
First thing was the bees in a tree I had cut for firewood and finding a beekeeper in SW Michigan that talked me into hiving them. A fellow in Mo. who helped me find a nuc when the hiving the bees in the tree didn't work, and a moderator on a bee forum telling people to buy books instead of asking questions. I own at least 12 books on bee keeping and bee behavior today.

Second thing was joining a club. When My first nuc didn't over winter and the packages I bought were sick and had to be killed I was finished, Not spending good money after bad.
Then club members gave me swarms to keep my hand in, I went into that fall with 5 colonies. The next with 22 and keep growing.

 Al


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## kirkmcquest (Oct 21, 2010)

According to what I've read...the supersedure cells are on the upper 2/3rds of the frame. Swarms cells are on the bottom third. I haven't seen any of either.


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

i unfortunately could not make it to the last two meetings--one i had to install my bees and the second (and the one i really needed to be at for some insight) life happened.

i live so far from everybody though and it makes it hard to ask someone to come all this way. i have had some one offer though. there are bee keepers out in my area--maybe i need to introduce myself to them .

i do need to keep rereading my bee book and things on the net. i have bee keeping for dummies--what are some other good books?

my other boxes were just delivered today so i need to get everything prepared so i am prepared. the cardboard nucs were very interesting also--i need to check into them too, might come in handy to have one laying around.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I like the older editions of ABC XYZ of bee culture. Mine is a1975 edtion. Check on bookfinder.com
albrisbooks.com and 
abesbooks.com 

 Al


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## Speckledpup (Dec 3, 2004)

Mare
I felt the same way about asking someone to come out to check out my bees. Finally had to break down and ask. Thought I was about to lose one hive and being a newbee just didn't know what I was looking at. One of the guys came out and did an inspection with me. I have a great queen but the ladies are slow. She is pushing them though. I should have a major population explosion in a week or so. He also showed me an empty queen cup, if I had found that on my own I would have been postive that they were about to supersede, all it means is that they are prepared in case something starts to go wrong with the queen (as long as it stays empty thast is) My other hive already has bees that have hatched. (that doesn't sound right)

I'm actually an equal distance to 3 clubs so am a member of 2 and will be joining the 3rd in a couple of weeks. I'm doing this for future reason. (contacts ya know) And each club has a different type of beekeeper, 1st has several women and the group in mainly about my age, 2nd mainly retired men learned the most from this one but kept felling like I had invaded the mens club, will know about the other when I get to attend.

Yes you can learn from the internet and books but nothing beats having someone go thru the inspection with you. If the person that volunteered to come out didn't mean it they wouldn't have spoke up.

Most of the BK have been more then willing to help.


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

Speckledpup said:


> Yes you can learn from the internet and books but nothing beats having someone go thru the inspection with you.


Even after keeping bees for several years, I often find that at a club meeting or beekeeping field day, when I watch someone else go thru a hive, I learn something new. It works "in reverse" as well: if I have a "wanna bee" over at my home to show them my bees, or I'm at a new-bee's home looking at their bees, the act of showing someone else, moving a bit slower and more deliberate, I sometimes see things I would have missed otherwise.


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