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How Many Queen Bees Can a Hive Have?
A normal honey bee hive has one laying queen. Learn the exceptions, such as supersedure and swarming, and what to do if you see two queens or none.
Bees & Queens
Queen Management
4 guides, starting with How Many Queen Bees Can a Hive Have?.
Queen Bee Marking Colors by Year
Use the international queen marking color code to tell the age of a queen by her birth year. Includes a year-by-year table, a mnemonic and marking tips.
Queen Bee Types and Why They Differ
Queen bee types explained by breed, origin and status: Italian, Carniolan, Russian and Buckfast queens, plus virgin, mated, supersedure and swarm queens.
What Happens When the Queen Bee Leaves or Dies?
Find out why a queen leaves the hive, how workers raise a replacement, the signs of a queenless colony and what a beekeeper can do about it.
Related topics
More in bees & queens
Colony Biology 5 guides, starting with Bee Hive Hierarchy: Queen, Workers and Drones Explained. Bee Breeds 4 guides, starting with Types of Honey Bees: Races and Breeds Compared. Queen Biology 7 guides, starting with The Honey Bee Queen: Everything Hobbyists Should Know. Queen Rearing 7 guides, starting with How to Raise a Queen Bee at Home.