Re-queening.

[Jacar]

Apparently 2 out 3 of my second year hives swarmed. They had zero brood, and only one had some queen cells. Both have lots of bees.  Both were very strong in March. I added med supers to all 3, and  the one that didn't swarm I added a second super 2 days ago.

I took some capped brood from the queen right hive and put in the other hives. I can pick up some queens on May 6. Is that the best option or let them re-queen themselves?  Thanks.

[GSF]

More likely than not, if they swarmed there's a virgin/skinny queen running around in there. Healthy hives swarm. Other hives abscond.

[KeyLargoBees]

+1 to GSF

The zero brood thing confuses me......sounds like an abscond.

[iddee]

Jeff, an abscond wouldn't have ""lots of bees"".

Jacar, the queen cells in the one are duds. The likely scenario is like GSF said. Virgin queen. Between the time the last brood emerged, ""21 days"", and the time she starts laying. ""average 28 days"".

[KeyLargoBees]

wow I must be blind......how did I miss

Both have lots of bees.

Ignore me I guess I needed more coffee yesterday at 9 AM ;-P

[Jacar]

Thanks. I'll check them again this weekend. I have some queens on order just in case.

[Oldbeavo]

Jacar
The queen cells will tell you what is happening.
If one is hatched with a round opening then you may have a queen.
If the other cells have the sides torn out of them then there is a young queen in there somewhere.
Strange to have zero brood and queen cells, are the queen cells recent, if so where are the rest of the eggs that these cells arose from?
If you have added brood with eggs they will draw out a queen cell if no queen is present, but if they don't draw a cell there  may be a queen present.