Coleene said:
 This hive came through the winter
with a very small(6" patch of brood)and handful of bees.

First indicator of a problem or failure to properly prepare the hive for
winter.

Coleene said:
It has built up well and the queen is laying a solid brood pattern as of the
last inspection several weeks ago.  Since I plan to split this hive I
checked it again today.

What area of the U.S./ world are you in Coleene? Most of us in the Midwest
are pulling supers . Spliting was over two months ago.

Coleene said:
  There are fuzzies, a solid brood pattern, uncapped larva and a Large
capped queen cell in the center of one of the frames.

At times perfectly normal hives will have a queen cell in them. The location
does indicate a possible supercedure.

Coleene said:
 I didn't see the queen,

Eggs?

Coleene said:
but this contradicts a lot of what I have seen in the past-none or capped
brood only remaining in the presence of a queen cell.

Rule number one of beekeeping:

1. Bees do not always do as the books say.

 I will go back and do a more thorough check for the queen before I split.

Good idea. Trying to introduce a new queen to a queenright hive never works.

Coleene said:
Is this unusual or just something I haven't seen before?

Hard to diagnose a problem without looking at the hive and the information
you gave is not complete. If I were to guess I would say from the
information you provided a supercedure was taking place (location of queen
cell) and you will find a queen.

Supercedure happens all the time and is not unusual.

Bob

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