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Queen cell destruction

During swarming, emergency queen rearing and supersedure excess of queen cells is produced. Many of the queen cells are destroyed before queens emerge from them. The queen cells can be destroyed either by queens or workers.

Most of capped queen cells are destroyed by young queens. They patrol the nest in search of queen cells to kill rival queens while they are vulnerable. After discovering a queen cell young queen starts to move faster and its body (especially thorax) temperature increases markedly Thermal behaviour of honeybees during aggressive interactions,
Ethology
, Volume 113, Number 10, p.995–1006, (2007)
[1]. The queen cuts a small hole in the side wall of the queen cell Destruction of queen cells placed in queenright Apis mellifera colonies,
Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer.
, Volume 72, p.405-407, (1979)
[2] (which can take 35 minutes Maintaining mechanisms of single queen system in the honeybee colony,
, Volume 1, (1988)
[3] from Virgin queens selectively destroy fully matured queen cells in the honeybee Apis mellifera L.,
Insectes Sociaux
, Volume 51, Number 3, p.253–258, (2004)
[4]) and stings unemerged queen Nouvelles observations sur les abeilles,
, Genève, p.368, (1792)
[5] but see Destruction of queen cells placed in queenright Apis mellifera colonies,
Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer.
, Volume 72, p.405-407, (1979)
[2]. Destruction of the queen cell is completed by workers Destruction of queen cells placed in queenright Apis mellifera colonies,
Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer.
, Volume 72, p.405-407, (1979)
[2]. The queen can perceive presence of unemerged queens thanks to both pheromones and comb vibrations The role of chemical and acoustical stimuli in selective queen cell destruction by virgin queens of the honeybee Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae),
Applied Entomology and Zoology
, Volume 39, Number 4, p.611–616, (2004)
[6]. The queen first destroys queen cells just before emergence and later destroys queen cells with younger brood Destruction of queen cells placed in queenright Apis mellifera colonies,
Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer.
, Volume 72, p.405-407, (1979)
[2]Virgin queens selectively destroy fully matured queen cells in the honeybee Apis mellifera L.,
Insectes Sociaux
, Volume 51, Number 3, p.253–258, (2004)
[4]Behavioral Strategies of Virgin Honeybee (Apis mellifera) Queens in Sister Elimination: Different Responses to Unemerged Sisters Depending on Maturity,
Sociobiology
, Volume 52, Number 1, p.31–46, (2008)
[7]. By doing this she minimizes risk that other queens emerge during destruction of consecutive queen cells. There is a range of substances which can be used by queens to perceive presence and age of unemerged queens Queen substance pheromone produced by immature queen honeybees,
J. Apic. Res.
, Volume 18, p.12-15, (1979)
[8]Transfer of pheromone from immature queen honeybees, Apis mellifera,
Physiol. Entomol.
, Volume 7, p.401-406, (1982)
[9]Chemical recognition of queen cells by honey bee workers Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae),
Chemoecology
, Volume 5, Number 1, p.6–12, (1994)
[10]Brood Pheromone Can Modulate the Feeding Behavior of Apis mellifera Workers (Hytnenoptera: Apidae),
Journal of Economic Entomology
, Volume 88, Number 4, p.798–804, (1995)
[11]. The queen which first emerged often is not able to destroy all queen cells before other queens emerge from them Emergency queen rearing in honeybee colonies with brood of known age,
Apidologie
, Volume 35, Number 3, p.275–282, (2004)
[12] and queen fighting occurs. Workers can prevent queens from destroying queen cells by aggressive behaviour The behaviour of honeybees preparing to swarm,
Brit. J. Anim. Behav.
, Volume 4, p.14-22, (1956)
[13]The behavior of honeybees (Apis mellifera ligustica) during queen duels,
Ethology
, Volume 107, p.1-22, (2001)
[14].

Queens cells can be also destroyed by workers. During emergency queen rearing significant proportion of uncapped queen cells is destroyed by workers about five days after dequeening Emergency queen rearing in honeybee colonies with brood of known age,
Apidologie
, Volume 35, Number 3, p.275–282, (2004)
[12]. Also during swarming many of the initiated queen cells are destroyed by workers before or after capping The behaviour of honeybees preparing to swarm,
Brit. J. Anim. Behav.
, Volume 4, p.14-22, (1956)
[13]The swarming biology and population dynamics of the Africanized honey bee,
, (1980)
[15]. It is possible that workers remove this way unhealthy and improperly developing brood. Workers often destroy queen cells during unfavourable weather Nouvelles observations sur les abeilles,
, Genève, p.368, (1792)
[5]Swarming and supersedure,
Wisconsin Beekeeping
, Volume 8, p.34-36, (1932)
[16]. Unlike in queenright colonies, where queen cells with holes are destroyed, in queenless colonies they are repaired by workers Destruction of queen cells placed in queenright Apis mellifera colonies,
Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer.
, Volume 72, p.405-407, (1979)
[2].

Other references: The production of queen cups and queen cells in relation to the general development of honeybee colonies and its connection with swarming and supersedure,
J. Apic. Res.
, Volume 4, p.121-141, (1965)
[17]The events following queen cell construction in honeybee colonies,
J. Apic. Res.
, Volume 1, p.3-5, (1962)
[18]