Flight Swarm with Queen Cell
Lexikon
The flight swarm with queen cell is the second variant of the flight swarm and likewise a swarm pre-emption.
The flight swarm with queen cell is the second variant of the flight swarm and likewise a swarm pre-emption. The basic principle is the same: the colony inclined to swarm is moved within the apiary, a hive with foundation is placed at the old entrance location, and the returning flying bees form the new unit there, the flight swarm. Both parts remain at the same apiary; a second site is not needed.
The difference lies in what is hung into the flight swarm. In the flight swarm with queen cell it is not a queen, but a brood comb with open queen cells from the colony inclined to swarm. The flight swarm is therefore initially queenless and rears its own queen. The old queen remains in the moved remainder colony, and there all remaining swarm cells are broken so that this part does not swarm after all.
The great advantage is that the queen does not need to be found, which saves a lot of time especially with strong colonies. In addition, the method combines well with one's own queen rearing, because instead of a swarm cell, a tended breeder cell can also be hung in. As with the flight swarm with queen, flying weather is a prerequisite, otherwise too few bees gather at the old location.
The residual risk lies with the flight swarm itself: if the young queen does not emerge or is lost on the mating flight, this unit remains queenless. A check for egg-laying is therefore only worthwhile after about three to four weeks. Conversely, if the old queen is placed in the flight swarm, it is not called a flight swarm with queen cell but a flight swarm with queen.