Several eggs in cells

[Pnut]

Hi, first time on forum, fairly new beekeeper, don’t be too sore on me please.

Split a hive in early June, left alone for 4 weeks, 1st insp, eggs and larvae, all going well.

Seven day inspections from then on, al going well, if a little slow on the build up.

Insp yesterday, one frame in particular, lots of double eggs in cells, one I seen had three eggs. I have found,marked and clipped queen, she is a good size, all eggs at bottom of cell. Smith hive, full compliment of frames, drawn comb,plenty of space

My questions are, is she just young raring to go, and not enough bees to cover the eggs she is needing to lay?

Also, the frame with the multiple eggs, will these be reduced to one per cell by the nurse bees? Or will I need to destroy the frame?

Thanks pnut

[fatshark]

Probably just starting up. The workers will deal with the eggs.

With laying workers the eggs are more scattered inside the cell.

Keep an eye on the developing brood to make sure it's worker if it's in worker cells ...

And welcome!

[Pnut]

Thanks fat shark,

Will keep close watch on them.

:)

[Adam]

Young queens can be a bit trigger happy - should settle down soon enough. Two possible reasons - in a small colony she really wants to get going but the are not enough bees to keep her satisfied so she is running ahead of herself. Other thought is that she needs to learn where she is putting the eggs - and sometimes puts her abdomen 'down the wrong hole' where she has already laid.


I wonder how many times a queen does such a thing and we never notice?

Multiple eggs would be a real concern if there were no queen.

[prakel]

Another possible is that she's laying faster than cells are becoming available - new queen's tend to lay rapidly to begin with (maybe it's an instinct to repopulate the nest). Even older, established queen's will double lay if there's a shortage of available cells.

[Pnut]

Thanks for the replies folks. I’m thinking not enough bees to keep her satisfied, as there is drawn comb available to her.

I’m due to rejoin with her original colony, dispatching the old queen obviously, will do just as soon as the weather here in west of Scotland allows.

[Bridget]

And fat shark would say don’t be in too much of a hurry to despatch that old Queen. Keep her in a nuc with some bees just in case the combining doesn’t go so well and then you have no Q and too late to bring in another one


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[Adam]

And fat shark would say don’t be in too much of a hurry to despatch that old Queen. Keep her in a nuc with some bees just in case the combining doesn’t go so well and then you have no Q and too late to bring in another one


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Wise words.

[fatshark]

... from an old fool ;)