odd queen cells (hive abandoned)

[foxman]

Any idea what went on here?

Notice the cell built over pollen? or are these not queen cells.

I know the queen wasnt laying but is this normal?
sorry for the pic size but i wanted to show the detail.

[MustbeeNuts]

Look like drone cells along the bottom for sure. the frame looks just like the first few days, before they really get working. it looks  that they were getting fed from syrup in the cells. No idea why they would leave except didn't like there house.

[sc-bee]

Absconding is not a rare situation with packages anymore. Our club has had quite a few ordered packages abscond this year --- to the point of mentioning using a different supplier next year.

Why do they abscond :?  I think only the bees know.

I believe what you are calling queen cells may be the start of empty queen cups. Some bees pull more than others. Some keep them all the time.

>Look like drone cells along the bottom for sure.
 
Or are they drone cells from a drone layer etc. I am curious to hear what others have to say.

Sorry you have had such bad luck this go around. Hang in there it will get better ;)!

[Ross]

Those are queen cups, i.e. unfinished queen cells.  The frame is drawn out normally.  Queen cups are common in all hives.  They are like practice or emergency spares.  Nothing here tells us why they left.  Maybe they were hopelessly queenless.