Two Queens - didn't think it possible until yesterday?

[phild]

On managing an inspection yesterday with a 2 week gap I was worried they would be ready to or already have swarmed.

Couple of frames in spotted an new queen (big, looked mated) on a frame with some new eggs and a hatched empty queen cell. Ah ha I though, they have swarmed and I missed it.

Three frames on I then find the original (marked) queen - looking slimmed down. Presumably didn't fancy going because of the weather?

After a bit of a fast head scratch I removed the old queen, and didn't mark the new in case was in fact unmated, though fairly sure was already. Made sure there were no other queen cells too (there weren't)

Didn't think a hive could get to this stage?

Did I do the right thing - will this be enough to stop them swarming again?

All thoughts gratefully received!
Phil

 

[Silly Bee]

Was it a supersedure cell?

 

[adrian wilford]

had 2 hives with the same this year never seen it before, i did same nipped the old queen

 

[phild]

I didn't think so - on bottom of frame and several other empty or play cells in hive. Also lots of brood so didn't seem like old queen ailing, also looked ok but hive got off to a slow start compared with other one.

Phil

 

[phild]

Has this stopped them being swarmy?

Phil

 

[Hivemaker.]

There are two queens in a hive when they supercede,often both laying in the same comb,sometimes the old queen will stop or reduce laying during this supercedure period,sometimes not. A newly emerged virgin queen is large,so could be mistaken for mated,they slim down a lot after emergence to carry out mating flights,i would of left the old queen in the hive as well.

 

[phild]

So what would happen to old queen once new one established? Is the clue just one queen cell?

I though supercedure cells were "normally" on face of frame?

Phil

 

[Hivemaker.]

So what would happen to old queen once new one established?

She often continues to lay eggs along with the young queen,sometimes for many months.

 

[phild]

Thanks, I've learned a bit more today! I'll have the confindence to leave them both next time - could only think of stopping them swarming.

Phil

 

[Silly Bee]

Couldn't you have put the old one in a nuc with a bit of brood and a few workers?

Never killed a queen yet, probably never will.

 

[phild]

Probably should have done but it caught me on the hop and didn't think of it that way, or of supersedure to be fair. Also have an AS and proper swarm in hives/nucs, so was trying to avoid more due to lack of kit.

Hive is normally calm but got pretty agitated, train of though was they could swarm any minute (first significant break in weather here for several days) so felt had to do something.

A lesson learnt.

Phil