2 Queens in hive - but who is laying?

[BernardBlack]

2 Queens in hive.

One clipped and marked:
Emerged late May. Started off laying ok, but numbers dwindled this last month (I assumed because of the pollen gap).

Early August - sealed QC appeared which I missed. Thought old Q would then try to swarm. Wasn’t bothered about losing her, as she was clipped and laying dwindling.

QC opened (around 15-16 Aug), but couldn’t find new Queen. Old marked Queen remained. Thought maybe something went wrong with the Q in QC (damaged, bees tore it down etc).

Now I’ve spotted the new unmarked Queen. Obviously she did emerge.

But... there’s now a frame of eggs/larvae - all good pattern. The numbers of which hasn’t been evident this last month with just the old Queen there.

So... I’m confused as to which Queen is laying.

I’m thinking the new Queen has mated and begun laying.

But is there a way of knowing for sure?

And if it is the new Q, will the old Q hang around or will there be a fight?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Likely to be the new one and you have a perfect supersedure
Leave them to it.
You can if course tell by separating the queens but why would you

 

[pargyle]

I agree with Dani ... it often happens with supercedures, if the old queen does perform for a while they will keep her going until they are sure the new one is up to standard. One day you will find the old queen dead ... they will sort it out. I think, some of the queen failures we hear of on here is down to interfering in the natural process the bees will follow to ensure that the colony survives with a viable queen. Very often, left to get on with it they will make better decisions than the beekeeper ...

Just my view - I know that there are many bee fiddlers who will disagree.

 

[BernardBlack]

Likely to be the new one and you have a perfect supersedure
Leave them to it.
You can if course tell by separating the queens but why would you

Yeah, I didn’t want to just guess and take away the laying one, and the mayhem that might ensue from that. Plus, the hassle of actually removing one.

But as long as the bees will sort it out themselves, I’ll be happy enough with that.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yeah, I didn’t want to just guess and take away the laying one,

You could put one each side of the QX

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yeah, I didn’t want to just guess and take away the laying one,

Just leave well alone, I often leave the bees sort out my mess for me

 

[Erichalfbee]

You could put one each side of the QX

But I wouldn’t

 

[user 819]

One of mine supersceded early this month, have only looked once and not seen the new Q but the hinged cell was still intact and old marked/clipped Q still in residence. Less fiddling and let the colony take it's course.