YorkshireNewbee · Yorkshire, UK · Queens · Jul 27, 2026

Found 2 queen cells on the comb face in late July — please tell me they're not swarming now

First year, two hives in Yorkshire. Did my inspection yesterday and found two capped queen cells in hive 2, both smack in the middle of the comb face, not on the bottom bars. Queen is still there, I saw her, but her pattern has gone spotty over the last month — lots of skipped cells and the brood nest has shrunk more than the season would explain. Everything I read in spring said queen cells = swarming, so I nearly cut them out on the spot. Then I remembered someone saying position matters. Two cells, mid-frame, late July, spotty queen — is this actually supersedure? Do I just leave them alone? Really don't want to lose a swarm this late but I also don't want to cut out their only way of fixing a failing queen.

#queen-cells#supersedure#first-year

▲ 12 votes 💬 4 replies ✅ Solved

4 replies

CorkBeeRon · Jul 27, 2026 · ✅ Accepted answer

You've read it right. Classic swarm prep is many cells (often 6-15+) crowded along the bottom edges of frames in a booming colony. What you have — one to three cells on the comb face, failing laying pattern, late season — is supersedure. The bees have decided to replace her themselves. Leave both cells alone, close up, and stay out of the hive for ~3 weeks so you don't damage a virgin or disturb her mating flights. Check for eggs around mid-August.

KentishBee · Jul 27, 2026

Agree with CorkBeeRon. I cut out supersedure cells my first year because I panicked, and the colony limped along with the failing queen into September before I had to buy a mated queen. Let them sort it — they usually know before we do.

PerthshireBees · Jul 27, 2026

Only thing I'd add: mark the calendar. Cell to laying queen is roughly emergence ~8 days after capping, then another 2-3 weeks to mate and start laying. If you see no eggs by about 4 weeks after emergence, that's when to think about intervening. Weather up here can drag mating out.

YorkshireNewbee · Jul 28, 2026

Thanks all, huge relief. Closed it up, diary note for 17th August. Will report back — fingers crossed for decent mating weather.

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