Large cells at very bottom of frames

[Rand]

I thought these large single cells that protrude a bit were drones. They don't look like queen cells. They are only one cell big around. They stick out beyond the rest of the brood caps by about 1/4 inch. Aren't these drone cells? What does a lot of them in the hive mean?

[Markinaust]

Hi Rand,


Your description is a little hard to understand what you are describing. You say that they are large single cells, usually drone cells are a mass of cells on the bottom corners of your brood combs. Your description of ¼ inch also seems a little long to be drone cells. I wonder if they are sealed or open? Queen cells built for swarming purposes are usually built on the bottom of the frame more to the centre of the frame and when completely sealed resembles a peanut. Emergency cells are built in the centre of the frame(s). Would be good to hear another description.


Cheers


Mark

[Beth Kirkley]

Do the cells look like this?


I don't know if I got a complete answer before about these cells when I posted them on the forum months back. But I'm thinking I was told this picture is of drone cells.

Or is it more like this?


Because that above is an empty queen cell. I've seen them on the very bottom of the frame, and they were even smaller than this one.

Beth

[Rand]

Yep, that's what they look like.

Ok, good. Drone cells. Not queen cells.