Virgin or Laying Worker

[Dallasbeek]

Also, what keeps LWs from killing each other?  If they perceive themselves as queens and their ovaries have adapted to lay eggs, why are they not trying to kill off other LWs, since they will kill a true queen introduced into the hive?  These are amazingly complex critters.

[Bush_84]

I don?t think that a hive would allow a laying worker in. Unless it?s a weak hive and it can?t hold them back. Not sure why a hive tolerates multiple laying workers. Maybe they view each other as workers and not queens?

[Michael Bush]

>Question for the forum:  Does a laying worker leave the hive or does she stay in the hive like a normal queen?

When you shake them out several hundred yards away, they all fly directly back, so I would have to say they are still foraging.

[Bush_84]

So shook them out today. 2/3rds flew right back to the spot where their hive was. I reduced the entrance of both hives that stood next to it. I?d say most went to the hive that had blue supers which was the same color as their hive bodies. Hopefully the guards kept out any laying workers. The rest clumped up into a cantaloupe sized cluster on a nearby branch. They stayed there. I decided that I wanted more comb build up for my mini mating Nucs. So I shook them in an empty mini mating Nucs. I?ll build a double screen board and put them on one of my queenright mating Nucs. If it doesn?t work out it?s no loss.

Stupid question...when using a double screen do I open the entrance to the hive body on top?  I?m assuming so. Do I open both entrances the same direction or opposite directions?

[BeeMaster2]

You do open the top hive and you can open them both on the front.
Jim