Caught A Swarm Yesterday ~ There Are Two Queens

[Jen]

Placed a med nuc box under a swarm on one of my cedars, cut the small branches and laid them on the top bars. Checked today before bringing it into the yard, because I thought maybe there is virgin queen in there, she might be out on a mating flight. So I check on it today at noon, and by golly there are TWO queens in there! One is on the far right frame and the other is on the far left frame.

Geez! Why haven't they fought it out by now?

Should I bring this nuc into the yard this evening?

Should I pinch one of them? 

[G3farms]

Pinch one or split them if it was a large swarm

[Jen]

Hey G3, I've had casualties with queens this season, it's hard queening here in upper Calif because the weather is so iffy by the hour. What if I take one of those queens and put her in a queen cage with some attendands and right away place her on some top bars of one of my struggling nucs. I have about 3 that are having trouble with getting queens mated and on the roll...

This swarm fills half of a med nuc.. not a big swarm but enough bees to get going with a mated queen

[tedh]

Both ideas sound good to me.  Either way you'll end up with 2 more working colonies. It's nice to have choices! . Ted

[Jen]

Thanks G3 and Ted    This would give me the opportunity that I missed with the last 3 virgin queens that died about 3 days ago. This time tho, I'm not sure if she's mated.... but still I've got give it a chance 

[blueblood]

It's early in the season. Two smaller hives would have time to grow.  It would be considered an investment for the 2018 season.

[CBT]

Feed the caged queens a drop of honey a day.