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Author Topic: Uniting a colony -- lost bees?  (Read 2086 times)

Offline Cindi

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Uniting a colony -- lost bees?
« on: September 29, 2007, 10:51:03 am »
Right, I have a question that I have been meaning to ask for quite some time and get so interested in reading all the forum posts that I keep forgetting.

There is a chance that I may have to unite a colony with another colony soon.  I have united colonies many times, using the newspaper method, successful, but the colonies united were generally very close to each other.

The two colonies that I may need to unite are several hives away from each other.  So....is there any way to ensure that the foraging bees from the colony that is to be moved don't get lost, trying to find their way home, which will not be there any more.  I would imagine making the move after the bees are flying at night or before the bees fly in the day would be the best method, but then you would be dealing with a house full of bees, and right now, the houses are really really full of bees.

Any theories or past experiences with this uniting of colonies would be greatly appreciated.  Come on guys, bring it on!!!!  Have a wonderful and excellent day in this excellent life we live.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Understudy

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Re: Uniting a colony -- lost bees?
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2007, 11:00:27 am »
You can leave an empty hive where you are moving the bees from.

Also do combines just as night fall is starting. Most of the bees will be home.

Sincerely,
Brendhan
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Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Uniting a colony -- lost bees?
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2007, 02:32:49 am »
As Brandhen says, leave an empty hive in the location 1 hive is removed from to catch the stragglers.  Otherwise just combine the 2 hives using the newspaper method.  In a day or so do the same thing with the stragglers that returned to the empty hive.
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Offline Cindi

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Re: Uniting a colony -- lost bees?
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2007, 11:23:09 am »
Brendhan and Brian, makes sense, if this is a required action, that is the procedure I will take.  Have a great day, beautiful life.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Old Timer

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Re: Uniting a colony -- lost bees?
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2007, 07:17:27 pm »
any bees left behind will join one of your other hives after a few attempts to get past the guards. i'd do a newspaper combine and not worry about it.

Offline Cindi

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Re: Uniting a colony -- lost bees?
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2007, 10:54:22 am »
Old Timer, now that seems to be the most simplest of all  :)  Have a wonderful day, great life.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service