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I will do my first unite at some point today. One thing though, should I feed with a 1:1 for awhile then onto a 2:1 or just go in at a 2:1 now.

How do I unite 3 hives? I seen how to unite 2 before but wouldn't stacking 3 on top of each other create to much space to heat for these bees seeing as how small colonies they are.

Got an opportunity at 5pm to inspect and hive 1&2 the queens haven't started laying in the empty Combs yet but have laid more eggs where brood has hatched. Why is it these queens haven't went near these new frames yet? Hive 3 has capped brood on 4 frames but its only in the top right corners of...

Changed!

Seeing as its so late in season, would hive 1&2 have time to fill these 2 empty frames with brood. I wasnt going to enter these hives for another week or 2 but might need to take a frame or 2 to put in the Queen less hives from the other location just so I know they are 100% -Q before I unite...

I was going to buy another nuc, add 2 frames into each hive and feed rather that just unite the 2 I have now. Best to overwinter with 2(or3) nucs rather than 1 I'd imagine. I already have the sugar and a good friend has offered me 1 (3/4 full) super if I needed it for the bees.

I lost swarms from 2 colonies early in the year, knocked down all QCs apart from 1. Both VQs got mated, started laying and everything seemed fine when the brood was capped then both queens swarmed at same time. I knocked down all Qcs again and now I've 2 newly mated queens laying again and I'm...

I have 3 small nucs(in national hives dummied down with insulation frame) I need to get ready for wintering. All queens are newly mated at end of July/start of Aug and one has only started laying 2 weeks ago! Last weeks inspection In hive1, its on 3 frames of capped brood. Last week I gave 2...

At 3pm today I split the hive in 3 because couldn't locate a new Queen locally and didn't want to leave it any longer in case the QCs hatched and threw a caste. Another option was to break them all down and hope there was a virgin still in the hive but didn't want to take that chance. What I...

But the virgin queen will be able to pass through the QE because she isn't mated yet.

What if I can't get a mated queen and what if I put a mated queen in with a virgin queen. If it hasn't thrown a caste already, would adding a queen not guarantee this

What should I do if my plan for this hive isn't ideal.

Can you answer me this finman, if 2 frames isn't enough to over winter with then how is it other beeks can successfully overwinter with apedias!

That was the process I had in mind but I see your point, however I'm prepared to take my chances. Maybe a poly BB could help the 2 frames overwintering. If not, I should at least take 1 frame as back up in case the VQ has thrown a caste because if I knock all QCs down now, the bees could die...

This is my one and only hive, it was to start me off on my own and next year had planned to get another one or two. I might be able to get a frame of brood from another beekeeper I know if needs be. If I consistently feed, insulate I'm.sure they could be strong enough for winter. Would you not...

Yes, this is what I was thinking, thank you! One thing though, when you say bees can't get at each other is it so bees don't touch each other or for scent., What if there's a small 1.5-2mm gap where both the middle pieces of timbers meet when brood box sits on floor.

I don't know, I looked through the hive to see if i coukd spot her but unfortunately I didn't she her. If a virgin queen takes flight between 21-28 days she could have either thrown a caste or is in there somewhere. Do VQs not wait until another QC hatches before throwing a caste though.

I have a few years beekeeping experience with helping out an old neighbor but this is my first year on my own after he sadly passed away! In may, his son give me an overwintered nuc and at first everything seemed it was going to plan when the colony was building up until I went on holiday for...