Frame Guide › Queen problems
Supersedure Cells: what it looks like on the frame
Nothing dramatic. The pattern has just gotten patchy lately.
WHAT YOU'RE SEEING
One or two queen cells on the face of the comb — not the bottom edge — over a tired, spotty pattern. The colony quietly decided its queen is failing and is raising her replacement.
WHAT TO DO
Leave them to finish the supersedure
The bees already diagnosed the problem and are fixing it. Interrupt a supersedure and you can end up hopelessly queenless. Let it run.
Easy to mistake for
- Swarm CellsEarly May · booming population, bees boiling out the front.
- Laying WorkerA colony that's been loud and 'roary' for weeks. No calm hum.
- Healthy Brood PatternJune · a strong colony, bees calm and covering the comb.
Could you spot this with the lid off?
Read the Frame deals you 8 random frames. Say what you see, say what you'd do, and find out why. It's free and runs on your phone.
Drill queen problems → Mixed round (all 32 frames) →More queen problems
- Healthy Brood PatternJune · a strong colony, bees calm and covering the comb.
- Laying WorkerA colony that's been loud and 'roary' for weeks. No calm hum.
- Swarm CellsEarly May · booming population, bees boiling out the front.
- Drone-Laying QueenQueen is present, but the brood looks bumpy and raised all over.
- Emergency Queen CellsYou rolled the queen ten days ago. This is the same colony now.
- Can't Find the QueenYou went through every frame twice and never saw the queen.
- New Queen Laying Double EggsThe queen you introduced started laying five days ago.
- Waiting on a Virgin QueenThis colony swarmed 16 days ago. No eggs, no larvae anywhere.
- Empty Queen CupsMid-April · the colony is building fast. Along the bottom bars you find these.
These frames are drawn to teach the pattern, and real frames vary. From The Alleman Apiary in Middletown, PA.