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BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: kemptville on August 01, 2013, 09:56:07 am

Title: Question about Combining
Post by: kemptville on August 01, 2013, 09:56:07 am

Hello All!
 
I have a queenless and a queenright hive and I want to combine the two using the newspaper method. How should I proceed with combining the two? Queenright on top of queenless or queenless on top of queenright? Does it matter?

Cheers

Title: Re: Question about Combining
Post by: millipede on August 01, 2013, 10:12:59 am

I always try to not disturb the queen right colony. So I place the queenless one on top.

Title: Re: Question about Combining
Post by: rober on August 01, 2013, 11:08:17 am

you'll also need a top entrance towards the rear on the upper hive.

Title: Re: Question about Combining
Post by: Finski on August 01, 2013, 11:47:24 am

.
In those cases I just put bees together. Perhaps it is better to put queen into a cage over night.

Title: Re: Question about Combining
Post by: kemptville on August 01, 2013, 11:52:35 am

Why would I need a top entrance at the rear of the hive?

Title: Re: Question about Combining
Post by: iddee on August 01, 2013, 11:55:44 am

If the weather is hot, they need ventilation and an exit. Doesn't matter front, rear or side. In cooler weather, it isn't needed, but doesn't hurt to have it anyway.

Title: Re: Question about Combining
Post by: dfizer on August 01, 2013, 10:02:00 pm

You should put the weak hive on the bottom of the stack, then newspaper (cut a few slits in the newspaper to help the bees chew it away, the restack the strong hive, and restack the supers if necessary.  The population of the strong will have to travel through the weak hive, and assimilate the bees into their colony.  The weaker queenless hive will be overwhelmed by the stronger population.

David