Alan Wade, Dannielle Harden: Managing Two-Queen Hives (340)

In this episode, Jeff and Becky dive into the fascinating world of two-queen hive systems with guests Alan Wade and Dannielle Harden. Alan, an Australian researcher and longtime contributor to The Australasian Beekeeper, brings deep technical expertise and historical context to the discussion. Dannielle, a beekeeper and educator, adds a hands-on perspective from the field.

Together, they explore what it takes to successfully manage colonies with two laying queens—why beekeepers attempt it, how it’s traditionally done, and what innovations are reshaping the approach. Alan shares his work comparing various dual-queen configurations, including divided brood chambers and vertically stacked systems. Dannielle discusses her practical experience implementing and refining these techniques in real-world apiaries.

This episode unpacks the potential benefits of two-queen colonies—like increased brood and honey production—as well as the complexities and labor involved in managing them. It’s an engaging conversation that blends research, experimentation, and lived experience.

If you’ve ever wondered about pushing your colonies’ productivity or testing advanced management systems, this episode offers insight and inspiration from two thoughtful voices in modern beekeeping.

Websites from the episode and others we recommend:

• Alan's Book on Two Queen Hives:  https://www.northernbeebooks.co.uk/products/a-history-of-keeping-and-managing-doubled-and-two-queen-hives-wade
• Betterbee's Divided Deep: https://www.betterbee.com/nuc-boxes/dnbody-divided-deep-for-nuc.asp
• An Explanation on the Demaree Method of Queen Management:https://thewalrusandthehoneybee.com/demaree/
  
  
• Bill Hesbach's Mentioned Article in Bee Culture: https://beeculture.com/the-horizontal-two-queen-system/
• Tom Theobald and 2-Queen Hives on Beekeeping Today: https://www.beekeepingtodaypodcast.com/two-queen-honey-production-with-tom-theobald-s3-e32/
  
  
• Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org
• The National Honey Board: https://honey.com

• Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com

 

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