In a message dated 27/08/2008 15:00:17 GMT Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
What effect does this double queen system have on the expansion of
varroa in the hive.
I don't do it often enough to have a handle on this; however if the first
brood that the old, artificially swarmed, queen produces is destroyed as soon as
it is sealed and the same is done with that of the daughter (the bees
attending the daughter will be flying from a different entrance to Mum's) that
should mop up lots of mites, unless the mites make their way from one brood nest
to the other. That might be an experiment worth trying next season with a
couple of matched hives, using one as a control.
Chris
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