Glossary
The natural process by which a honey bee colony replaces its failing or aging queen with a new queen, without swarming. Unlike swarm cells built on the bottom edges of comb, supersedure cells are typically found on the face of the comb, numbering only 1 to 3.
A healthy queen emits a constant flow of pheromones, primarily queen mandibular pheromone (QMP), that signals her presence, health, and productivity to the colony. As a queen ages, becomes diseased, or sustains an injury (like wing or leg damage), her pheromone output declines. Workers detect this decline and interpret it as the need for a replacement. They begin constructing supersedure queen cells, typically 1 to 3 large, peanut-shaped cells built on the face of the comb, and the queen deposits eggs in them.
The colony raises the new queen while the old queen is still present and laying. When the new virgin queen emerges, she mates on mating flights and begins laying. In a smooth supersedure, the old queen is eventually killed or dies naturally, and the new queen takes over without interruption to the colony's population growth. In some cases, mother and daughter queens coexist for a period of weeks before the transition is complete.
During hive inspections, finding queen cells is always significant, but the location and number tell you what is happening. Swarm cells are numerous (5 to 20 or more) and typically hang from the bottom edges of frames. Supersedure cells are few (1 to 3) and located on the face of the comb. Emergency queen cells, built when a queen dies unexpectedly, are often multiple cells scattered across the comb wherever worker larvae of the right age were available for conversion.
If you find supersedure cells in your hive, it is generally best to let the colony proceed. The bees have detected a problem with their queen that you may not be able to see, and interfering with their replacement effort can leave the colony queenless. Trust the bees' judgment; they have millions of years of evolution behind their decision.
Some bee breeds and lines are more inclined to supersede than swarm. This is advantageous from a beekeeper's perspective because supersedure preserves the full colony population (no bees leave), while swarming splits it. Selecting for supersedure behavior in queen breeding programs has been one strategy for reducing swarming losses in managed colonies.
Supersedure replaces the queen while keeping the entire colony intact. Swarming splits the colony: the old queen leaves with half the bees. Supersedure is a repair mechanism; swarming is a reproductive event. They serve fundamentally different biological purposes.
No. If the bees are raising supersedure cells, they have detected a problem with the existing queen. Destroying the cells leaves the colony dependent on a failing queen. Let the process complete naturally, or consult an experienced beekeeper if you are uncertain.
Location and quantity are the best indicators. Supersedure cells are found on the face of the comb, typically 1 to 3 cells. Swarm cells hang from the bottom edges of frames and are usually numerous (5 to 20+). Position and number together give a reliable diagnosis.
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