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Author Topic: What is the best way to combine a colony?  (Read 4257 times)

Offline BeeDog

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What is the best way to combine a colony?
« on: December 11, 2013, 12:29:17 pm »
I am a new beekeeper and I want to combine my queenless nuc colony to my queenright standard box colony. What is the best way to combine them and how?  :-D
It is highly recommend that split be done with only strong healthy hives that have at least two Brood Chambers with Brood in all stages of development. Frames with capped Brood should be split evenly between the two hives.

Offline danno

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Re: What is the best way to combine a colony?
« Reply #1 on: December 11, 2013, 12:46:08 pm »
many are going to say to use the newspaper method which if you dont know you lay a single sheet of new paper with a couple of hive tool slits between them.   If you do this you would need a sheet of plywood the size of the large box or 19 7/8 X 16 1/4.   You then cut a hole in the center to fit the bottom of your nuc.  To do this you will also have to have a nuc with a removable bottom.   Now what I would do is simply shake them together and let them figure it out or if the frames are the same size pull empties out of the big hive and replace them with the nuc frames.  You could also shake the nuc out at the entrance of the big hive.   They will walk in

Moots

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Re: What is the best way to combine a colony?
« Reply #2 on: December 11, 2013, 01:34:22 pm »
Along the lines of what danno said....

I've done Newspaper combines and shake outs and both have worked fine. 

My Nucs have fixed bottoms, so in my case, I simple open the existing hive, add a sheet of newspaper as described, add another box to the hive and transfer the Nuc to it.  If there's nothing on the frames worth salvaging, or you think a second box will be just too much space and it's really just about the bees....Shaking them out a few feet in front the hive should work just fine.  Assuming your current weather doesn't make that a bad idea.

Offline danno

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Re: What is the best way to combine a colony?
« Reply #3 on: December 11, 2013, 01:49:12 pm »
Oh and Beedog
Where is "hopelessly lost" located?   

Offline merince

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Re: What is the best way to combine a colony?
« Reply #4 on: December 11, 2013, 02:55:21 pm »
Since the stronger colony has the queen, shaking the bees at the entrance will work as well as a newspaper combine. If you use a newspaper combine, I also suggest using a queen excluder between the colonies so the queen does not accidentally wander among the unfamiliar bees.

Moots

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Re: What is the best way to combine a colony?
« Reply #5 on: December 11, 2013, 03:09:37 pm »
Since the stronger colony has the queen, shaking the bees at the entrance will work as well as a newspaper combine. If you use a newspaper combine, I also suggest using a queen excluder between the colonies so the queen does not accidentally wander among the unfamiliar bees.

I've never heard of using a queen excluder while doing a newspaper combine.  My understanding was that once the bees eat through the paper, they're no longer "unfamiliar bees". Curious if others use one for their combines...

Offline merince

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Re: What is the best way to combine a colony?
« Reply #6 on: December 11, 2013, 03:21:59 pm »
I use it mostly as a safeguard when I have laying workers.

Offline danno

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Re: What is the best way to combine a colony?
« Reply #7 on: December 11, 2013, 03:29:53 pm »
 The odds that the queen is going to wonder out of her brood nest got to be about 0%.   I wouldn't bother with a excluder.   

Offline 10framer

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Re: What is the best way to combine a colony?
« Reply #8 on: December 11, 2013, 07:29:55 pm »
the shake out idea is ok during a flow but if it's winter where he is that will probably just lead to a bunch of dead bees.  i would think that this time of year the hive would treat the new bees like robbers.

Offline danno

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Re: What is the best way to combine a colony?
« Reply #9 on: December 11, 2013, 08:41:46 pm »
the shake out idea is ok during a flow but if it's winter where he is that will probably just lead to a bunch of dead bees.  i would think that this time of year the hive would treat the new bees like robbers.
agree but he hopelessly lost.  Heck its summer way down south.  This is not the kind a question that comes from up here this time of the year  I wish they would require a complete profile before posting

Offline capt44

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Re: What is the best way to combine a colony?
« Reply #10 on: December 11, 2013, 08:46:27 pm »
Another way is using newspaper but just use an inner cover and simply cover the feeder hole in the center.
I usually dampen my paper with sugar syrup with Pro Health to make the paper alittle more tender.
Using the inner cover with paper over the feeder hole you don't have as big a mess with the excess paper and you get the job done.
Richard Vardaman (capt44)

Offline BeeDog

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Re: What is the best way to combine a colony?
« Reply #11 on: December 12, 2013, 10:11:38 am »
Thank you for your replies guys. I am from the Philippines and it is pre honey flow season here in our area. We do not have snow here but temperature is at lowest 13 to 15 degrees Celsius. I am going to try the news paper method... and try my luck,  appreciated all your thoughts.  ;)
It is highly recommend that split be done with only strong healthy hives that have at least two Brood Chambers with Brood in all stages of development. Frames with capped Brood should be split evenly between the two hives.

Offline Blacksheep

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Re: What is the best way to combine a colony?
« Reply #12 on: December 12, 2013, 10:56:30 am »
You can also use a piece of screen wire (like on your house) just put it on the top of the box your going to put the in and place the box with the combining bees on top of the screen wire.Go back in a couple of days and remove the wire and they are friends!

Moots

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Re: What is the best way to combine a colony?
« Reply #13 on: December 12, 2013, 11:16:05 am »
Thank you for your replies guys. I am from the Philippines and it is pre honey flow season here in our area. We do not have snow here but temperature is at lowest 13 to 15 degrees Celsius. I am going to try the news paper method... and try my luck,  appreciated all your thoughts.  ;)

BeeDog,
One thing that I don't think was mentioned...When you do a newspaper combine, make sure to give the bees on the top some sort of entrance, most importantly if done in warm temperatures.  I've heard stories of folks cooking some bees by not giving them a way out.

Good Luck!

Offline T Beek

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Re: What is the best way to combine a colony?
« Reply #14 on: December 13, 2013, 08:32:17 am »
My inner covers have 2-2.5" notches used as top entrances (notch side down).  When combing I simply reverse the notch to facing up, allowing for an entrance for the bees to be combined above (My colonies use both top and bottom entrances).  Then I place one of those 'cheap plastic bee escapes' into the center hole allowing bees from above access below but bees from below remain restricted.  After a day or so I just remove the escapes, reverse the inner cover (notch down) and place them back on top.  No paper, no shaking, no mess.

This method can be used with 5 or 6 frames NUC when combining into regular equipment, one can place those NUC frames into the super to be used, along with either empty frames or frames of honey/pollen….depending on season and region.

Welcome BeeDog!
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Offline dirt road

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Re: What is the best way to combine a colony?
« Reply #15 on: December 14, 2013, 11:53:54 pm »
Nowadays I use a single screenboard for a day or so, then just take it out. I used to use newspaper, but have had bees hauling out scraps of paper in as little as three hours after being set up, and that was with NO holes or slits in the paper. Never seemed to cause any real problem with fighting though. If you leave the screenboard too long the queenless hive can sometimes start a few cells which you might have to deal with.

Offline BeeDog

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Re: What is the best way to combine a colony?
« Reply #16 on: December 17, 2013, 07:32:18 am »
Today my colony successfully combined... though I saw a handful of dead bees outside the box, I guess because there have been small fights. Generally they are peaceful and back to their normal lives.  :cheer:
It is highly recommend that split be done with only strong healthy hives that have at least two Brood Chambers with Brood in all stages of development. Frames with capped Brood should be split evenly between the two hives.

Offline T Beek

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Re: What is the best way to combine a colony?
« Reply #17 on: December 17, 2013, 03:10:37 pm »
Excellent, thanks for letting us know.
"Trust those who seek the truth, doubt those who say they've found it."

 

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