Why/how does a swarm have multiple queens?

[Rurification]

I watched that vid of schawee catching all those queens out of one swarm.   I thought a swarm was the old queen leaving.   Where are the other queens coming from?

[G3farms]

They are virgin queens all leaving at the same time, called after swarms.

[Rurification]

Thanks, G3.

So the old hive raises a bunch of new queens.  One stays and the old one leaves.   The other new ones leave as afterswarms before the new queen can kill them?   

I thought the first new queen out killed the others in the their cells.   

Not always, I guess.  Right?

[JP]

The first swarm is the primary one with the mated queen but you could possibly have a virgin in that swarm as well if for some reason one was to hatch early before the primary left.

I believe I read somewhere the record swarm had either 21 or 22 queens. Most swarms have one, I have caught a few that had more than one.

Timing is everything.

I caught 9 queens in a cut out once. Have caught 3 & 4 queens on many other cut outs. All during spring.


...JP

[FRAMEshift]

The old queen leaves first.  The first virgin to hatch would like to kill all the rest but sometimes the bees stop her, if they are preparing afterswarms.  Any swarm can have more than one virgin including the primary.  It's a pretty disorganized business.  I guess multiple queens act as insurance.

[schawee]

just caught another swarm and got 3 queens out of it .the swarm was about a pound and a half. did the video with my iphone and will post it tonite.        ......schawee

[Apis_M_Rescue]

This is extremely interestin thread. Almost 2 years ago had a hive abscond in 2ft swarm 15-20ft up in oak tree. It was w/ lot of comotion & not placid like some swarms. Had some balls of bees droppin off of it & fallin below on ground. I poked my finger in center of all scattered worker bee balls & discovered those skinny virgin queens in center of each high pitched buzzin balls. They all expired as later was told they were bein thermally cooked.

Couldn't quite make out how the dynamics of all the action was to be understood but this thread helps a little. Anyone know where multiple queened swarms dynamics is to be further read up on or documented in detail?

Cheers, Apis M

[FRAMEshift]

Anyone know where multiple queened swarms dynamics is to be further read up on or documented in detail?

I don't have a copy, but I remember that "The Hive and the Honeybee" has lots of information on swarm dynamics.

[CBEE]

so what er you all doing with those extra queens ??