By: Eric Malcolm
Five (5) supersedure cells located on the center of a frame of brood comb. All queen cells have emerged or been evacuated recently. All show signs of being chewed on the emerging end, with one showing exposed cocoon at the head in tact with a hole in the side of the cell. (Photo: Eric Malcolm, October 11, 2024, Glenn Dale, MD)
In my years as a beekeeper, I’ve learned two important lessons. First, beekeeping keeps us humble— often what we “know” comes with exceptions. Second, if we take the time to observe our bees, they can offer us new insights, presenting us with unexpected challenges and enlightening experiences. There is always more to learn when keeping bees.
Recently, while conducting the last full inspection of the season on one of our colonies in early November, I encountered a situation that seemed fairly familiar. Based on my records, this colony had gone through a queen event in October, having several supersedure cells emerge, suggesting that their old queen had failed and was in the process of being replaced.
When a colony goes queenless late in the season (October) in Maryland, it can be unlikely that a newly raised virgin queen will successfully mate, especially given the unpredictable Maryland weather and often too few drones in surrounding colonies. However, with drones still relatively abundant in surrounding hives and favorable weather with no chance of rain, I decided to let the colony try to sort itself out rather than combine it with a stronger hive. There was still time and the population was about 13 deep frames of bees, so they were plenty strong.
The next visit showed most colonies in the yard as being broodless, which was typical for this time of year, with no visible signs of queens, but felt they were queen right based on their temperament and behavior.
Recently, while conducting the last full inspection of the season on one of our colonies in early November, I encountered a situation that seemed fairly familiar. Based on my records, this colony had gone through a queen event in October, having several supersedure cells emerge, suggesting that their old queen had failed and was in the process of being replaced.
When a colony goes queenless late in the season (October) in Maryland, it can be unlikely that a newly raised virgin queen will successfully mate, especially given the unpredictable Maryland weather and often too few drones in surrounding colonies. However, with drones still relatively abundant in surrounding hives and favorable weather with no chance of rain, I decided to let the colony try to sort itself out rather than combine it with a stronger hive. There was still time and the population was about 13 deep frames of bees, so they were plenty strong.
The next visit showed most colonies in the yard as being broodless, which was typical for this time of year, with no visible signs of queens, but felt they were queen right based on their temperament and behavior.
Close up of cells in the brood area showing three honey bee eggs laid near the mouth of the cell, each affixed to the cell wall. (Photo: Eric Malcolm, November 11, 2024, Glenn Dale, MD)
When I revisited the hive a few weeks later, in early November, I instantly noticed some red flags. There were eggs laid on the walls of cells, multiple eggs per cell, irritable bees, and no capped brood—typical signs of a colony with laying workers. The laying worker situation occurs when a colony has been queenless for too long (around three weeks), and at least one or several of the workers' ovaries start functioning in the absence of queen or brood pheromones. Laying workers are a last-ditch effort for a queenless colony to pass on their genetics, since they can only lay unfertilized (drone) eggs.
A close up look inside open cells in the brood area showing more than 10 cells with 1-2 larvae sitting on beds of royal jelly. In surrounding cells, eggs are seen ranging from 1-2 per cell, all affixed off-center on the cell floor or on the cell walls. (Photo: Eric Malcolm, November 11, 2024, Glenn Dale, MD)
As I continued inspecting the frames, additional signs of laying workers seemed glaring—off-center and multiple eggs or larvae in a single cell. There was also evidence of trying to raise a new queen with young larvae on beds of royal jelly. But then, something unexpected happened.
A medium frame taken from the brood area, partially covered with bees showing a single capped queen cell in the center of the frame and two capped drone cells located several cells apart, mid-frame. (Photo: Eric Malcolm, November 11, 2024, Glenn Dale, MD)
As I flipped a frame, I spotted a single capped supersedure cell. This threw me off a bit; I had assumed the colony had been queenless for too long and laying workers had already developed by this point (primarily because of the eggs on the cell walls). It only takes 16 days for a queen to develop so, in an instance, the story changed. This new information suggested there would not have been enough time for laying workers, it seemed the new queen that emerged in October had mated and was laying but they were still superseding. While I have observed new queens laying multiple eggs per cell and in peculiar places, I had never seen or heard of a newly mated queen laying on cell walls, so I was skeptical and very confused.
After some light investigation, I learned this situation is not completely unheard of; a newly mated queen laying eggs in all sorts of places while she is getting the hang of laying, including cell walls. It was suggested that it will usually clear up in a week or two.
After some light investigation, I learned this situation is not completely unheard of; a newly mated queen laying eggs in all sorts of places while she is getting the hang of laying, including cell walls. It was suggested that it will usually clear up in a week or two.
A close up picture of a frame with capped honey, showing the queen bee (top right) and several worker bees. The queen appears slightly shiny and her wings are slightly tattered. (Photo: Eric Malcolm, November 11, 2024, Glenn Dale, MD)
Then I saw her: the colony still had their recently mated queen. She was walking on the frame near the supersedure cell, looking a little worse for wear with ever-so-slightly crinkled and tattered wings, she also looked a little shiny — a sign of viral infection or the cell being disturbed during her development. Her appearance, in addition to the supersedure cell, and indications that the colony was actively attempting to rear a new replacement queen suggested that she may not be healthy enough to overwinter or maintain the colony through the winter months.
I was pretty certain mid-November was too late for a virgin queen to mate successfully in Maryland, so I didn’t want to leave things to chance and have the colony go queenless. I decided to pinch the weak queen. A beekeeper’s paradox, killing the single most essential organism that keeps the colony alive in hopes of saving them, a decision that makes a lot of us beekeepers cringe. Now my choices were to combine or requeen.
Fortunately, I had recently combined another colony with a good queen but slightly too few frames of bees, so I had that extra queen in my pocket. I left the pinched queen in the hive so the bees would know she was dead and in hopes of them spreading the word to their sisters. About 40 minutes later, I introduced the new queen to the colony, using a small cage with a wax film over the escape hole. The next day, when I returned to check on her, the bees had already accepted her, and the new queen was interacting with the colony without issue.
This experience reinforced a lesson: no matter how much we think we know about bees and beekeeping, there are always opportunities for us to continue learning as long as we stay humble, remain open to being taught, and of course by closely observing our bees during inspections.
As the season winds down, be sure to check on your bees and keep them well fed over the colder months. If they start feeling light or are pressing up against the inner cover, keep some sugar, fondant, or candy boards handy so you can keep them fed in a pinch.
Enjoy the calm moments of winter. Spring is coming!
I was pretty certain mid-November was too late for a virgin queen to mate successfully in Maryland, so I didn’t want to leave things to chance and have the colony go queenless. I decided to pinch the weak queen. A beekeeper’s paradox, killing the single most essential organism that keeps the colony alive in hopes of saving them, a decision that makes a lot of us beekeepers cringe. Now my choices were to combine or requeen.
Fortunately, I had recently combined another colony with a good queen but slightly too few frames of bees, so I had that extra queen in my pocket. I left the pinched queen in the hive so the bees would know she was dead and in hopes of them spreading the word to their sisters. About 40 minutes later, I introduced the new queen to the colony, using a small cage with a wax film over the escape hole. The next day, when I returned to check on her, the bees had already accepted her, and the new queen was interacting with the colony without issue.
This experience reinforced a lesson: no matter how much we think we know about bees and beekeeping, there are always opportunities for us to continue learning as long as we stay humble, remain open to being taught, and of course by closely observing our bees during inspections.
As the season winds down, be sure to check on your bees and keep them well fed over the colder months. If they start feeling light or are pressing up against the inner cover, keep some sugar, fondant, or candy boards handy so you can keep them fed in a pinch.
Enjoy the calm moments of winter. Spring is coming!
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