How can you tell the difference between a swarm cell and a supercedure cell?
As a new beekeeper with energetic girls, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to learn the difference. Now predicting what happens when a hive starts building these cells is anyone’s guess…. but here’s what look like and where you can find ’em on the comb.
In a Top Bar Hive:
- Swarm cells are typically built on the edge, side, or bottom of a comb.
- Supercedure cells are typically built smack in the middle of the comb.
2 capped swarm cells, built on the edge of the comb
Queen cup (left) and capped supercedure cell (right), both built in the middle of the comb.
In a Langstroth Hive:
Things are slightly different in a Langstroth hive, but here’s a useful discussion indicating that in a Langstroth:
- Supercedure cells are typically built in the top half of a frame. See photo of a supercedure cell in a Langstroth.
- Swarm cells are typically built in the bottom half of a frame. See photo of a swarm cell in a Langstroth.
mistress beek 
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