# Making splits from supercedure cells/failing queen/let them swarm?



## adg72484 (Nov 22, 2015)

Inspected one of my hives today with a suspected laying worker. Drone population out of control. Spotty brood but all new eggs laid in the center of the cells and one egg per cell. Found multiple queen cells (still open but larger larvae in them) in the middle of several frames in the brood chamber. Hive population is still very strong (3 deeps and full of bees) I am wondering my options for this hive. I have two baited swarm traps in my yard. How long before they swarm with open queen cells with larger larvae in them? If they do swarm, can I make multiple splits with each frame that has a capped cell?


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## adg72484 (Nov 22, 2015)

For the experts... this is one frame I took a picture of. Two queen cells on this frame both have larvae. What do you see going on?


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## tech.35058 (Jul 29, 2013)

Its that time of year when bees make drones.
I am no expert, I usually have to wait for the cells to be capped before I declare brood to be worker or drone.
IF all the capped cells are drones, the queen has failed into a "drone layer" state.
The bees should replace her, but if all the eggs/brood are drones, this will fail.
If there are flat topped worker cells capped, the queen is probably failing, due to the "spotty brood", or maybe just getting started for the season.
I would remove the queen to a nuc box with a couple of frames brood & food.
Me being me, I would make splits with the capped queen cells, and be prepared to combine back any colonies that fail to return a mated queen & start laying on time with the rest.
If the queen fails to return, or the cell was a dud, the bees can go laying worker relatively quickly while you are waiting & looking for the new queen or eggs.
You can add a frame if brood for insurance shortly befor the queen emerges, but that might ad to the confusion looking for the new queens eggs. ( but if the bees make another QC, you know you did good). Another thing I have read about was adding a "fake queen" pheremone strip. You will want to do your on research on this, I haven't tried it. Good Luck ... CE


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