Commenting on an two-queen article in the April Bee Culture, Mark asks:

 1.)  Why wont the bees fight without some time to transfer taste without
coming into direct body to body contact with each other, such as is the
case with using newspaper or a small mesh screen?

2.)  Why wont the queens detect each other's pheromone and set out to do
perpetual combat, never being able to find each other, thus disrupting
egg production?

1.  The need for a newspaper or other barrier to prevent workers fighting is
one of those 'old boys tales' that has been perpetuated.  Colonies can
easily be combined without such a barrier...and with no fighting.
2.  Queens seem to have enough to do without wearing themselves out looking
for another queen to kill!  They are not like game cocks, and easily coexist
in a two-queen colony separated only by an excluder.

In fact, current estimates are that some 10%-20% of all colonies have two
queens peacefully laying!

For a hobbyist, two-queen colonies are a fun and satisfying thing to do.
They are far too much work for a larger beekeeper.
Lloyd
Lloyd Spear, Owner Ross Rounds, Inc.
Manufacturers of Ross Rounds Comb
Honey Equipment, Sundance Pollen Traps
and Custom Printer of Sundance Labels.

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