# Multiple queen hives



## Bill Dickerson (Nov 8, 2008)

I read a research paper at least I think it was a research paper (senior moment) where one queen had her antenna removed. 

Both queens were tolerant of each other and proceeded to go about their business of laying eggs.

Has anyone tried this as a means to strengthen a weakened hive or increase honey production?

Would the antenna-less queen survive without the appendages?


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## Bill Dickerson (Nov 8, 2008)

*probably won't work*

I found a couple of old references and apparently the queens tolerate each other but the antenna-less queen is completely confused and unable to function.

Now if we could get tiny little prophalatics to cover the antenna it might work.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Would the antenna-less queen survive without the appendages?

http://www.bushfarms.com/huber.htm#antennaeamputation


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

>Would the antenna-less queen survive without the appendages?

I can tell you for dead sure that they won't survive if you pinch their head off....


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## newbeemike (Jan 20, 2009)

You can have 2 queens in a hive (without mutilating them) if you keep them separated. That's one of the principals behind the Kirkhof hive I build. And yes, having two queens does increase production.

Even if it did work, clipping antennae seems to me to be rather inhumane.


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## Bill Dickerson (Nov 8, 2008)

*inhumane*

I wouldn't say inhumane. We cut horns on bulls, reindeer, and cut something else on steers. 

I would consider it mutilation since it's unnecessary and leads to the death of the animal.

I would like to see one of these hives. I Googled it without success.

Can you forward an attachment that shows one.


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## newbeemike (Jan 20, 2009)

When I first started researching the Kirkhof hives, I found absolutely no information about it except for the original Canadian patent. I found out about them because the local supplier used to sell them (before the factory closed) and one guy I know has 3. He likes them so much that, when he found out I could make them, ordered 11 from me.

You can see pictures and a description on my web site.


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## Geoff (Aug 15, 2009)

Have you seen this article http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0001412 .They ablate 2/3 of one mandible and the queens leave one another alone.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I have never really had that much trouble running a two queen hive. I've started it several ways, but probably the easiest is either to put some brood above an excluder with the old queen below (or for that matter the old queen where ever she ends up). Or introduce a queen cell above the excluder. Or introduce a queen above a double screen board and eventually replace the double screen with a double, wood bound queen excluder.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beestwoqueenhive.htm


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## Geoff (Aug 15, 2009)

It helps to have a feeder or a half depth super inbetween the two queens to stop fighting at the queen excluder


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