Print Page - What do the bees do when they have 2 queen cells.

Title: What do the bees do when they have 2 queen cells.
Post by: njoylife10 on June 02, 2011, 06:14:57 PM

The bees are making 2 queen cells. They have been queenless for a while and twice before refused to make queens from the eggs I gave them. I'm guessing they must have been ever so slightly too old. However this time I made double sure I got brand new eggs. My question is this. Will the queen that hatches first tear down the other cell before she goes out on her mating flight? Or will she wait until she is fully mated before she tears it down. And if so will the hive swarm to keep the second queen? Should I use the second queen cell to make a split? What if one of them doesn't make it back?

I know a million questions, but thanks all for your answers.

njoylife10

Title: Re: What do the bees do when they have 2 queen cells.
Post by: Matthew207 on June 02, 2011, 08:39:59 PM

I'm glad you asked. I just lost a queen and put in eggs. Checked today and there are four queen cells. Would love to hear what the beeks have to say

Title: Re: What do the bees do when they have 2 queen cells.
Post by: hankdog1 on June 02, 2011, 09:13:47 PM

The first queen that emerges will hunt the queen cells down rip them open and sting the occupant to death.

Title: Re: What do the bees do when they have 2 queen cells.
Post by: Kathyp on June 02, 2011, 09:40:30 PM

and if not then, they will fight it out later....although you can have two queens in a hive at the same time. usually mother and daughter rather than two new.

Title: Re: What do the bees do when they have 2 queen cells.
Post by: iddee on June 02, 2011, 11:09:21 PM

I as talking to a beek today who watched a queen emerge this week. She had no wings. When something like that happens, the bees do her in and wait for the next one to emerge. They choose the one they want to keep and her or the workers remove the rest, NORMALLY. There are many exceptions that cause different things to happen. Too numerous to list them all.

Title: Re: What do the bees do when they have 2 queen cells.
Post by: Michael Bush on June 03, 2011, 02:24:51 AM

>Will the queen that hatches first tear down the other cell before she goes out on her mating flight?

Yes.

>When something like that happens, the bees do her in and wait for the next one to emerge

I watched the same thing in my observation hive, but they didn't get rid of her. She offed the other queens and she, of course was unable to mate. Tried, but couldn't return and they went laying worker. I need to breed bees as smart as yours...

Title: Re: What do the bees do when they have 2 queen cells.
Post by: iddee on June 03, 2011, 10:01:35 AM

>She offed the other queens and she, of course was unable to mate. Tried, but couldn't return and they went laying worker. I need to breed bees as smart as yours...

Maybe that had something to do with small cell. I use large cell only. :evil: :evil: :lau: :lau:

Title: Re: What do the bees do when they have 2 queen cells.
Post by: Old Blue on June 04, 2011, 01:16:06 AM

I could be mistaken, but.......
I think iddee like that one ;)

Title: Re: What do the bees do when they have 2 queen cells.
Post by: Michael Bush on June 04, 2011, 01:27:53 AM

Maybe that's it. ;)

Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: njoylife10 on June 02, 2011, 06:14:57 PM