2 QUEENS, One Hive! I find Brood Above the Queen Excluder in MY Struggling Hive. Two Queens or One?

[@Dstick1Spearfishing]

Good Job Frank, Queen down stairs has got the numbers coming on, get some food into them, pollen sub and sugar water. If you are wanting to check where the sugar water is going add some blue food coloring, makes it easy to see what they are doing with it without hurting them.

[@4dhoneybee107]

Might just try that.

[@Dstick1Spearfishing]

@@4dhoneybee107 Talking from experience it works. They will either use it to build out wax / keep hive warm, or they will store it. If they have nectar coming in they will ignore it. But observationally, You may be low on field bees and they are not keeping up with the consumption of the hive at this point, so feed them up :)

[@4dhoneybee107]

You got it!

[@Dstick1Spearfishing]

@@4dhoneybee107 and the Blue food colour will give you an idea as to what is going on. Weirdly, it only shows up in when stored, does not change colour of anything else. So if you feed it and they take it and you can't see blue anywhere, you need to up the feed rate! Sorry PS tried many other food colours and blue is the best contrast in a hive FWIW!

[@JakeBeesos]

I noticed 2 queens get past the excluder this year. They could have been virgins

[@4dhoneybee107]

Thanks jake.

[@jeffcotton526]

Bob Binnie feeds his bees while he is treating them with Apivar. check out his channel. Pro beekeeper for over 40 years and he knows his stuff.

[@4dhoneybee107]

Never seen him before will do.

[@bradgoliphant]

an amazing organic and natural mite treatment_ Smoke the hive heavily with Dried Black Walnut Shells/Hulls. Its amazing.

[@4dhoneybee107]

Interesting. And you get a big drop?

[@bradgoliphant]

4dhoneybee Yes. Every time. That is if my hive has a high mite count. Most usually, I don’t have to treat. And I think the reason for that if because I don’t feed my bees sugar.

[@4dhoneybee107]

Thanks brad great info.

[@bradgoliphant]

@@4dhoneybee107 No really. Because of my organic and natural methods I don't really have a lot of mites. In fact, when I had 13 hives 10 years ago, I never treated with anything--In only gave my bee probiotic blend. I did not feed the sugar or pollen, an let them build their own wax, and never had a problem. I understand that is very hard for most beekeepers to understand, especially commercial beekeepers, Yet I feel its the answer.

[@4dhoneybee107]

Good stuff.

[@RaySarasin]

Check out Canadian Beekeeper he has around 1,500 hives and also a expert

[@4dhoneybee107]

Yes he is excellent. Different kind of keeping but excellent and very informative.

[@RaySarasin]

@@4dhoneybee107 Single Hive Management i also do it with great success 200 lbs off one hive this way

[@4dhoneybee107]

Amazing yes I want to do singles as well.

[@RaySarasin]

@@4dhoneybee107 The results speak for themselves i had 5 deep supers on that hive

[@4dhoneybee107]

Amazing