2 queens system

[jeff33]

Good morning all,

To cut the story short I have 2 queens which are not performing very well and no other hives for combining. 1 is in a full hive and 1 in a nuc. Until I can get some locally mated queens I am contemplating a 2 queens systems to give enough bees to deal with the incoming nectar and brood and 2 see which is better than the other.

The system would be BB with 1 queen-QE-2 supers-QE-1 BB with the other queen and all bees using the bottom entrance (I have tried separate entrances before and found it a pain in the neck for inspection). Any thoughts and pitfall on this please?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Good morning all,

To cut the story short I have 2 queens which are not performing very well and no other hives for combining. 1 is in a full hive and 1 in a nuc. Until I can get some locally mated queens I am contemplating a 2 queens systems to give enough bees to deal with the incoming nectar and brood and 2 see which is better than the other.

The system would be BB with 1 queen-QE-2 supers-QE-1 BB with the other queen and all bees using the bottom entrance (I have tried separate entrances before and found it a pain in the neck for inspection). Any thoughts and pitfall on this please?

drones getting stuck in the top box

 

[jeff33]

I usually let them out every 4-5 days by leaving a gap.

 

[Madge]

...Until I can get some locally mated queens

You have queens - how will new queens make a difference to your set-up?

I am contemplating a 2 queens systems to give enough bees to deal with the incoming nectar and brood and 2 see which is better than the other. ?

How will you be able to compare their performance when they’re in the same hive?

... (I have tried separate entrances before and found it a pain in the neck for inspection). ...

Why?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I usually let them out every 4-5 days by leaving a gap.

So a separate top entrance then

 

[dpearce4]

Good morning all,

To cut the story short I have 2 queens which are not performing very well and no other hives for combining. 1 is in a full hive and 1 in a nuc. Until I can get some locally mated queens I am contemplating a 2 queens systems to give enough bees to deal with the incoming nectar and brood and 2 see which is better than the other.

The system would be BB with 1 queen-QE-2 supers-QE-1 BB with the other queen and all bees using the bottom entrance (I have tried separate entrances before and found it a pain in the neck for inspection). Any thoughts and pitfall on this please?

how about running them as a horizontal system like this

http://www.beeculture.com/the-horizontal-two-queen-system/

 

[Beefriendly]

Which taken to their logical conclusion give you these multi-queen hives from Canada.
Do wish I knew how to make images appear smaller....

 

[Roola]

If you did want to do this, why not consider a horsley board below the top brood box... Would give you top entrance to allow drones access and the QE would keep queens separate.

 

[jeff33]

Never seen the horizontal system before, interesting.

 

[jeff33]

You have queens - how will new queens make a difference to your set-up?

Hopefully they will be more prolific but I may need to reconsider if it start stacking up like Beefriendly pic. I will probably run the system until I get the new queens and revert back to 2 hives or make some splits. My aim this year is to increase.

How will you be able to compare their performance when they’re in the same hive?
I should have added that it will only be to compare my current under performing queens. I can then squash one if needed and revert to single brood. For the moment they only lay 3-4 frames of brood.



Why?

Because I used to raise queens in the top box and had to put the top entrance facing the other way so the virgin queen didn't get the wrong entrance. It won't be an issue with mated queens though.

 

[Madge]

Because I used to raise queens in the top box and had to put the top entrance facing the other way so the virgin queen didn't get the wrong entrance. It won't be an issue with mated queens though.

You said having a top entrance was a pain in the neck. I asked why, because I can’t see how a top entrance can affect your management. (Or perhaps you’re answering some other question ...)

 

[Wingy]

In my first year and just about managing basics so far. Can someone explain why you would not get one hell of a battle if you place 1 Q+ colony above another (separated by supers) but the workers would have to pass through the other colony to get to the bottom entrance? It's not as if your splitting 1 colony to raise another Q as in the Snelgrove system or combining a Q+ with a Q- colony?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

In my first year and just about managing basics so far. Can someone explain why you would not get one hell of a battle if you place 1 Q+ colony above another (separated by supers) but the workers would have to pass through the other colony to get to the bottom entrance? It's not as if your splitting 1 colony to raise another Q as in the Snelgrove system or combining a Q+ with a Q- colony?

The pheremones mix so the bees get used to each other.

 

[Hunajavelho]

Everyone interested in 2 queens colonies, if you have two weak colonies, should read this thread on Beesource.com: http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?306234-Running-two-queen-colonies

 

[jeff33]

You said having a top entrance was a pain in the neck. I asked why, because I can’t see how a top entrance can affect your management. (Or perhaps you’re answering some other question ...)

I had to inspect from the side as I had bees flying in from the front (bottom entrance) and bees flying in from the back (top back entrance). Does that make sense?
Also, when I wanted to revert to 1 hive with 1 entrance it became problematic for bees to re-orient.

 

[Roola]

I had to inspect from the side as I had bees flying in from the front (bottom entrance) and bees flying in from the back (top back entrance). Does that make sense?
Also, when I wanted to revert to 1 hive with 1 entrance it became problematic for bees to re-orient.

You don't have to leave the top box facing the opposite direction, turn box 90 degrees (they will find their way in) then a week or so later turn it 90 degrees again.

 

[Wingy]

The pheremones mix so the bees get used to each other.

Thanks for that, learning every day at the moment lol

 

[Eyeman]

I run 5x5 (frame) and 3x3 (frame) double nucs which when run side-by-side have the same foot print as a national hive.
When lost for anything to do with the nucs I've occasionally put a wired QE over both the 5x5 nucs and a single national shallow and have had a couple of supers of honey off them during the summer.
It's a simple matter of getting them back to single 5x5's ready for over-wintering. I've never left the super on over-winter.