Observatory hive queen bank

[Daniel21]

I have made an observatory hive that is basically the same design as the plans on this sight describe. The feeder however is not the same style, but is positioned in the same area as the one in the plan. I have made it to hold some extra queens. My uncle told me that I probably wouldn't need any excluder device since the queen would have to enter the feeder though the small hole near the bottom of the hive to get them. I didn't think that it would deter her enough though. Dose anyone know if this setup would work or not?

[Daniel21]

I suppose I could try it with just one queen for awhile and see if she lives. Although it would be harder to insert some sort of an excluder after it has been assembled.

[RayMarler]

I've not done it myself, but from what I've read here and there on the matter, banking queens is much more successful in a queenless hive, not one that has a queen in it. You'll need to bank the queens in cages inbetween frames of open larva so the nurse bees are already feeding larva so will then feed the caged queens.

[Michael Bush]

I had always assumed that if a queen got out or they raised one that they would kill the banked queens, but after both happening and they didn't I doubt that. I had NOT assumed that adding newly caught queens to a bank with queens would cause a problem but it does. They usually kill the old ones and keep the new ones. So, my point it, queen banking can be a bit more complex than it first appears. I have NOT tried banking queens in an already queenright hive.

[Daniel21]

read the next message I miss typed this post and accidentally posted it twice.

[Daniel21]

I meant to reply last night but the sight didn’t seem to work.
I should have mentioned that this would be for over winter storage.
I have read that a bees maximum lifespan is six months in the winter but I wasn't sure if the majority would live that long. The state apiarist said the bees should be wrapped by the last week of November, would the hive last till spring without any new brood?

I was also wondering if one queen can tell if there is other queens in the hive as all the rest of the bees can, or dose she just kill them just when she comes across them?

[PCM]

I believe when you read some more books, you will find the OLD Queen will come looking for any new Queens !
You know the old saying I'm sure, " This is MY turf sweety "

A Mother Queen " may" live with a daughter queen for a short while, but then somebody gotta Go!

Queen banking is kinda of a thing more experienced Beeks do, a next step up from Queen rearing.

Good Luck
PCM

[Daniel21]

I suppose that my last question was sort of a repeat of the first one. If a queen is aware and has access to other queens in the feeder they wouldn't live very long.