# Hive swarmed and now too many drones



## Slow Drone (Apr 19, 2014)

It's a falicy that drones don't contribute to the hive, they help keep brood warm, aid in ventilation , and will bluff off intruders. The paranoia that is associated with drones is over varroa but the workers can infect a hive as well. Also no drones = drone laying queens. You will notice more drones when there are queen cells and the drones aren't all from that hive they are just some of the local boys looking for a girl.


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## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

You might want to think about cutting out two of the queen cells, leaving the two best looking ones or they may swarm again, especially since you have different aged cells.


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## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

I sure wouldn't take any cells away. as far as the drones the bees will adjust to normal. they know what to do better than us. after a hive swarms the drones are a lot more noticeable.


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## gezellig (Jun 11, 2014)

beeware10 said:


> I sure wouldn't take any cells away.
> 
> Why not?? If you leave more than a couple, especially of different age, they will swarm again. It's recommended and typical to remove all but two of the queen cells.


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## Steve61 (Jan 5, 2015)

I wasn't able to find the queen today, although I wasn't looking that hard. It is hard to find a Carniolan queen as it is, but with all the large drones around it's near impossible for me. I'd definitely like to make sure I have a queen in place before destroying the last two queen cells.


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## gezellig (Jun 11, 2014)

Destroy all BUT two queen cells, not destroy the last two.


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## Steve61 (Jan 5, 2015)

gezellig said:


> Destroy all BUT two queen cells, not destroy the last two.


I have a total of four cells. Two are empty and two are sealed. Should I leave the two sealed ones alone or remove them?

Here's a pic of an empty one:


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## Slow Drone (Apr 19, 2014)

Congrats you have a VIRGIN QUEEN!


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

If it was torn out of the side like that a queen has hatched and killed it, I bet the other two are dead as well but they just haven't gotten them removed yet


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## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

every year we do nucs in sc by walk away splits. It not the best way but takes the least time. we average from 71% to 86% success rate. what happens to the 25%? by having more than 1 cell the mating rate should be better. It takes a super hive to throw out after swarms. I guess I'd rather increase the odds of having a good queen.


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## Steve61 (Jan 5, 2015)

beeware10 said:


> I guess I'd rather increase the odds of having a good queen.


So would I.


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## gezellig (Jun 11, 2014)

Steve61 said:


> I have a total of four cells. Two are empty and two are sealed. Should I leave the two sealed ones alone or remove them?
> 
> Here's a pic of an empty one.
> 
> ...


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## gezellig (Jun 11, 2014)

beeware10 said:


> every year we do nucs in sc by walk away splits. It not the best way but takes the least time. we average from 71% to 86% success rate. what happens to the 25%? by having more than 1 cell the mating rate should be better. It takes a super hive to throw out after swarms. I guess I'd rather increase the odds of having a good queen.


It doesn't take a super hive to cast an after swarm. I've had Nucs do it. Twice this year. 
When virgins are of the same stage of development, and emerge about the same time, it's often they will swarm with virgin queens. I had a double deep swarm four times this year, down to two frames. My mistake was leaving several queen cells despite knowing better


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## dsegrest (May 15, 2014)

Steve61 said:


> I have a total of four cells. Two are empty and two are sealed. Should I leave the two sealed ones alone or remove them?
> 
> Here's a pic of an empty one:
> 
> View attachment 19269


Definitely leave the capped ones alone. The empty ones don't matter. The bees know when they need a new queen.


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