Author Topic: What is this? (Read 3990 times)

Kris^ · « **on:** June 13, 2004, 08:21:47 am »

In my inspection yesterday, besides finding some varroa, I found this unusual formation. I thought it mught be a queen/swarm cell, but it doesn't hang down like I've seen in pictures. Besides, I don't see that the colony is strong enough to swarm, and they certainly aren't overcrowded in there that I can see (I only started the colony from a package a little over seven weeks ago). The queen is fine and has been active, laying plenty of eggs in both boxes. I took a few pictures; the closeup picture is a little out of focus because the camera just doesn't do extreme closeups very well. The thing I'm looking at is the bump on the lower right hand corner of the frame, on the foundation. The second picture is of the full frame showing the bump's location in relation to the full frame. It was in the upper brood box. Can anyone give me an idea of what this is, and what I should do with it?

-- Kris

mark · « **Reply #1 on:** June 13, 2004, 12:21:22 pm »

looks to me to be a drone cell kris. thy are built in the bottom corners of the comb. worry only when they are all over. that means you lost the queen or she ran out of sperm to fertilize the eggs.

Markinaust · « **Reply #2 on:** June 14, 2004, 07:58:37 am »

Hi

I think it may be a play cup, well that is what we Aussie's, call them. If opening points staright to the bottom of the hive and there is nothing in it then that will be what it is. If that is what it is it nothing to worry about.
I find that most frames that have been in my brood chambers of hybrid hives have these.

Cheers

Mark

steve · « **Reply #3 on:** June 14, 2004, 09:03:29 am »

Kris, if the "thing" is open at the bottom it is most likely a queen cup, the workers produce these throughout the hive and are the precurser to swarm or supersedure queen cells......the bees will build up and tair these down many times during the year....not worry.... If it's capped it may be a drone cell.......you'll see a lot more of these as your spring progresses.
Steve,

beemaster · « **Reply #4 on:** June 14, 2004, 09:06:02 am »

Kris:

It's not unusual to find strange shaped cells especially in lower corners of the frames - I've seen drone and workers emerge from these, typically drones in any corner cells. I think most of these come from wax building projects started by some workers and completed by others.

The very likely are NOT queen cells though. It pretty common looking though in a brood box to see cells a bit funky looking like these.