# Spring bees in WI doing well?



## Ford Zoo (Jan 27, 2012)

My first time ever with a hive last night. Actually two. I visited an 8 year bee keeper. She got 2 packages the week before Easter, then it got quite cold and freezing here in northern WI. To my surprise, the bees already had capped brood along with some capped honey! 

Until last night, each hive had only one brood box and we added a second to both. We found queen cells in the hive she called 'less friendly' and 'excitable' and that one did seem somewhat upset to our invasion compared to the other hive. (The calmer hive had also started working more frames in the brood box than the other).

She removed the queen cells from the one hive. She also said she will probably not disturb the brood boxes again this season, only checking the honey supers once she adds them. She also commented that the queen cells could be a sign of a coming swarm.

So my question is: If the hive was making queen cells this early in the year, wouldn't they make more to replace the ones that were removed? We did not pull every frame to look for the queen I'm assuming because there were brood in all stages-evidence of an active queen?

Any thoughts for a newbie still learning? Thanks!


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

One of the biggest gripes I have heard at bee meetings for about the last 5 years is the poor quality queens in packages. They seem to make more early queen cells once in a hive to replace her.
Could be a problem with the queen in the package. I advise getting back in that hive ASAP and finding that queen or at least new eggs but seeing the queen I feel is best as workers can lay eggs although non fertile. 


If they are of a mind to swarm taking the queen cells will not stop them either. They will just start in making more queen cells to replace those you took. I myself never take the queen cells I take the queen and several frames of bees and honey, I put them in a nuc box for a week or so then get them in a deep. You are making a artificial swarm so the bees are happy.


 Al


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## Ford Zoo (Jan 27, 2012)

Thanks! I'm still learning but that is good food for thought for me. Perhaps I better make sure I have extra boxes in case I see this in my own hives?


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## Ford Zoo (Jan 27, 2012)

Alleyyooper, to add a bit more info: when she removed one of the queen cells there was a larvae in there, about 3/4" long.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Queens start life just like a worker or a drone. For some reason the workers chose a cell with a fertile egg after it hatches and feed it royal jelly. The royal jelly will make the larva it is fed to will grow way bigger and the workers know it will and make those bigger cells for the larva to developed in.
When I started rising my own queens I was advised by a fellow queen raiser the queen larva is at some point fragile and to handle them with care, provided you intend to keep it. 
Some cells are small less than a half inch long, those I know will be a smaller queen all her life. At one time I kept them but decided I had better luck with big husky queens so I now cull those small cells.

 Al


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