queen cells

[mike91553]

I think I damaged or broke open the bottom of a capped cell pulling out the frame. The larvae looked ok. What are the chances of the bees repairing this and she is good? I did a split as planned by taking out the old Queen and 3 frames. This was the only cell that I could find but there may have been eggs in some cups.

[Jacobs]

I don't have any formal information to go on, but I have always worked on the assumption that if you damage a queen cell, the bees will remove the larva/pupa. If you have another hive with eggs, I would put a diagnostic frame in the hive with the damaged cell and check it in 4 days. When I do this, I like to put the frame with eggs in my top super in the number 4 position from the left (working from behind the hive). There is nothing special about this frame placement. The top super makes it easy to check, and the consistent use of the same frame position means that I don't have to try and remember where I put the diagnostic frame.

[mike91553]

Plenty of brood and eggs already. I split the hive and they will be way ahead if they save that larvae. I supered this hive first of March and its half full of honey and nectar.

[mike91553]

two days later and the queen cell looks normal and undamaged

[Jacobs]

Please keep up with it if you can, and let us know what happens. If a queen emerges from that cell, that would be a good thing to know.

[mike91553]

Yes I will. I want all the queens I can get from that mamma. The hive went in and came out of winter strong and heavy and have already started capping some of the first super of honey. No feeding fall or spring