Interesting. So why is there a difference? (legitimate question) What would cause the virgin/queen to fight under this scenario that doesn't exist during a "natural" supersedure?


Excellent question actually,  been wondering myself.  Randys comment about not sure if "off with her head" was correct,  has made me think.  While I have never seen 2 queen hives,  I know others have,  how common,  and what circumstances?

Do they fight in a supercedure?  Do the bees ball the old queen?  Do they just let her starve and she slowly fades like a worker??

Add to that  what actually triggers supercedure?  Read in many places its "lack of queen pheromone"  not exactly true because we know packages with fresh queens do it also. Are there multiple reasons?  

Many times I see queen cups with no eggs,  does the old queen come and lay in them voluntarily?  Does a worker move eggs? Seen a lot this year full of royal jelly,  no larve, as well as the typical blanks.






When a virgin just hatches, her mandibular gland hasn't fully developed. So she isn't producing sufficient 9-ODA and 9-HDA (queen substance) to confuse the colony into believing there are two queens. So that, in and of itself, shouldn't cause a difference between a virgin fighting or a virgin peacefully mating, laying, and eventually usurping the colony. 


Given the amount of trophallaxis in the hive, and knowing how other creatures trade bacteria, does a virgins scent develop in the hive,  or do they actually accept hers??

Interesting questions,   What could we do with the answers that would help us? 


Charles

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