Double Screen Board

Two Colonies, One Stack

A double screen board creates a physical barrier between two colonies stacked on top of each other while allowing heat, scent, and moisture to pass through the mesh. The upper colony has its own entrance (facing the rear or side of the stack), so the two populations operate independently but share thermal mass, scents, and the stability of a larger combined population weight.

Common Uses

Overwintering weak colonies: A colony too small to winter alone can be placed above a strong colony on a double screen board. The heat rising from the larger colony below prevents the small colony from freezing, while the screen prevents the two populations from merging (which would result in the queens fighting). In spring, both colonies build up independently.

Queen introduction: When requeening, the new queen can be placed in a small colony above the double screen board. Over several days, her pheromones filter down through the screen, gradually acclimating the larger colony below to her scent before combining. Newspaper method combining: After removing the screen, a sheet of newspaper placed between the two boxes allows gradual mixing as bees chew through the paper, reducing fighting.

Two-Queen Systems

Some beekeepers run permanent two-queen systems with double screen boards, keeping a queen in each section. The combined foraging force of two queens' worth of brood production creates a super-productive unit that can dramatically outperform single-queen colonies during strong nectar flows. Management is more complex, but the honey yield per stack can increase by 50% or more.