[smitty73]

I was interested in the idea of using a double screen to re-introduce a swarm (minus the queen) to its previous hive to hopefully allow the colony to make surplus honey this Spring. I have had several hives swarm just prior to the beginning of the nectar flow and was trying to help ensure the hive makes a honey crop, as I'm not too interested in increasing my numbers. My thought was to remove the queen from the swarm which is in a 5 frame nuc just prior to placing it over a queenright colony with the use of a double screen, then remove the double screen after a week or so and combine either directly or with a newspaper combine. Let me know if you think this will work. Thanks in advance.

 

[GaryG74]

You can leave the queen in both hives, leave the double screen between the hives. Add supers to the top and bottom as they need them. The double screen will keep the queens apart. Stephen Repasky, in his book "Swarm Essentials", gives details on two methods to do the double queen system. Check out Michael Bush's web site also.

 

[AugustC]

If you make an "adapter" board you can run a two queen hive with both brood boxes on the bottom and the supers stacked in between then so they half overlap each brood box. Bad description... pic below

 

[AugustC]

PS don't forget a queen excluder or it could be bad