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Author Topic: 2 eggs in one cell  (Read 6324 times)

Offline ivashka

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2 eggs in one cell
« on: April 04, 2010, 02:27:33 am »
What does it mean when queen is laying two eggs in a cell (every other cell)?  :? :?
Thanks.
Thanks Art

Offline Jahjude

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #1 on: April 04, 2010, 02:42:17 am »
Can you confirm that it's actually a Queen doing this damage and not the act of a laying worker bee??
Worker bees may lay in cells if the hive remain queenless for too long and when a worker begins to lay it's usually in the pattern u described here
I've chosen understanding over knowledge-since knowledge is all about knowing where to find facts and understanding is knowing how to manipulate knowledge...I've also chosen knowledge over beliefs!! We all need to..

Offline JP

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #2 on: April 04, 2010, 04:23:50 am »
This is quite common. New queens typically will lay multiples. Laying workers lay many, many multiples, but can't get the eggs quite to the bottom of the cells as their abdomens are not long as a queens.

Look to see if they are at the bottom or multiples not all the way on the bottom of the cells.

You are most likely just fine.


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Offline Jahjude

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #3 on: April 04, 2010, 04:28:43 am »
Aaah There you go,check it out and let us know the situation.
I've chosen understanding over knowledge-since knowledge is all about knowing where to find facts and understanding is knowing how to manipulate knowledge...I've also chosen knowledge over beliefs!! We all need to..

Offline ivashka

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #4 on: April 04, 2010, 01:45:40 pm »
The Queen is there and I checked and eggs are all the way on the bottom :-( :-\  :?
Thanks Art

Offline Kathyp

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #5 on: April 04, 2010, 01:50:55 pm »
not to worry.  new hive?  new queen?  as JP said, they do that sometimes.  she'll figure it out. 

Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline OzBuzz

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #6 on: April 04, 2010, 10:10:30 pm »
Do you know how old the queen is? if she's on in years it might be time to re-queen

Offline ivashka

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #7 on: April 05, 2010, 02:08:39 am »
I don't know how old queen is since I removed it from a tree branch in February. 
Thank you for replies.
Thanks Art

Offline OzBuzz

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #8 on: April 05, 2010, 07:26:35 pm »
If you took the queen from a swarm it's likely that she's an old queen anyway! i would suggest getting another queen and re-queening your hive. Get whatever queen you would prefer to have based on their characteristics because whatever characteristics the queen has will eventually flow through the whole hive...

Offline Kathyp

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #9 on: April 05, 2010, 07:43:42 pm »
i'd wait on replacing that queen.  give her a couple of weeks and see what happens.  it would be a shame to waste a good queen needlessly.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline JP

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #10 on: April 05, 2010, 10:21:08 pm »
i'd wait on replacing that queen.  give her a couple of weeks and see what happens.  it would be a shame to waste a good queen needlessly.

Amen!


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Offline riverrat

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #11 on: April 05, 2010, 11:07:23 pm »
i agree with waiting on axing the queen. Laying 2 eggs in a cell is a far better problem to have then lets say a shotgun brood patterns. IMHO i think there are a lot of queens that go to the gallows every year for a crime they didnt commit. Very seldom will i requeen usually the bees know best and if shes failing they will take care of the problem just my 2 cents
never take the top off a hive on a day that you wouldn't want the roof taken off your house

Offline OzBuzz

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #12 on: April 06, 2010, 02:14:11 am »
Only reason i was suggesting to re-queen is because she would likely be old anyway... i guess if you're happy with her then keep her. My local beek suggested automatically re-queen any swarm you get and that's a practice that i will implement in my yard simply because i can control what i am working with and maintain the incredibly docile strain that i'm working.

If the hive has all of the traits you're looking for in terms of production, docility, workability etc then see what happens... she might come out of it ok.

When you said you removed it from a tree branch did you mean it was a swarm or just a hive that had built inside a branch?

Offline beee farmer

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #13 on: April 06, 2010, 02:35:12 am »
Its a very common thing to observe.  I was not aware of how often it occurs until I started grafting.  I have had queens that laid nearly perfect patterns, prolifically, but still had a bad habit of plopping 2 eggs every 20 or 30 cells.   She had great traits other than that and raised boomer hives that really produced. Unless a queen laying 2 eggs per cell occasionally is in combination of other more serious problems I would not hold it against her. :-\
"Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do"  Benjamin Franklin

Offline JP

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #14 on: April 06, 2010, 09:33:43 am »
Only reason i was suggesting to re-queen is because she would likely be old anyway... i guess if you're happy with her then keep her. My local beek suggested automatically re-queen any swarm you get and that's a practice that i will implement in my yard simply because i can control what i am working with and maintain the incredibly docile strain that i'm working.

If the hive has all of the traits you're looking for in terms of production, docility, workability etc then see what happens... she might come out of it ok.

When you said you removed it from a tree branch did you mean it was a swarm or just a hive that had built inside a branch?

No, she is not LIKELY TO BE OLD ANYWAY. You don't know her age. If once set up and she goes to laying the proof will be in the pudding. If the bees decide she is inferior for whatever the reason they may supercede her.

As a beekeeper if we see a problem with her pattern, we requeen her.

If you want to requeen every swarm or cut out queen you ever run across that is certainly your decision.


...JP
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Offline Kathyp

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #15 on: April 06, 2010, 10:23:45 am »
Quote
and that's a practice that i will implement in my yard simply because i can control what i am working with and maintain the incredibly docile strain that i'm working

i collect swarms and do cutouts not only to expand, but to preserve genetics of any survivor hive i might be lucky enough to come across.  by automatically requeening, those genetics would be lost without ever knowing what kind of hive i was going to have.

we all have our own methods of beekeeping and reasons for why we do things.   

the trick is to think about why you are doing a thing, and not just to do it becuase............
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline ivashka

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #16 on: April 06, 2010, 01:57:29 pm »
Thank you ALL for replying.  I will wait a few weeks to see how she is and make a decision as to whether I should replace her or keep her.
Thanks Art

Offline OzBuzz

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #17 on: April 06, 2010, 06:47:56 pm »
Let us know how you go  :)

Definitely a lot of valid points to weigh up - thanks kathyp for your thoughts to - something i hadn't considered in regard the possibility you might get some good genetics.

I spoke to the beek i was talking about last night and he said his reasoning for doing it is, traditionally, the swarms he gets from his area are quite feral... doesn't mean they're all like that

Offline JP

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #18 on: April 07, 2010, 01:35:27 am »
Let us know how you go  :)

Definitely a lot of valid points to weigh up - thanks kathyp for your thoughts to - something i hadn't considered in regard the possibility you might get some good genetics.

I spoke to the beek i was talking about last night and he said his reasoning for doing it is, traditionally, the swarms he gets from his area are quite feral... doesn't mean they're all like that

Feral bees are what most of us on here aim to get, myself included. Go back and read Kathy's post about survivor stock.

Survivor stock, true feral bees, same thing, a good thing, in most all cases. They are adapted to your area and have been dealing with mites and shb all on their own.


...JP
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My website JPthebeeman.com http://jpthebeeman.com

Offline ivandespotov

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Re: 2 eggs in one cell
« Reply #19 on: April 07, 2010, 08:17:05 am »
Mother Is marked?Is it certain that is the same.