Am I missing a trick?

[rich]

Hi one and all,
I was talking to an old beekeeper the other day, he said that it was ok to take a super from one hive with bees in and place on a different hive and they'd all get on ok with no fighting ..... I know about disease and the rest, but I was just wondering about the statement, I've read a few books, been to quite a few talks, but never heard that one mentioned before.
Any thoughts from our more experienced keepers please?

Richard

 

[Poly Hive]

I too have heard of it but have never actually done it.

Not because of disease just it's never cropped up.

I have heard, and have no reason to disbelieve it, that a super of bees will give a weaker colony a good boost.

However if I am boosting anything, I target the strong ones. They are the honey makers.

On a technical basis, the majority of the bees in a super will be house bees and so not hive located, and there fore quite happy to be moved about, and as they are up and away from the brood box, not so queen specific either.

My pennyworth.

PH

 

[oliver90owner]

Yes, err, well,...never tried it...like Poly Hive, really.

I would still 'icing sugar' both the super bees and the recipient hive bees before actually doing it. Might be all right, but belt and braces here, I'm afraid. Better to be sure than risk a huge fight, or even a little one.

A piece of newspaper is, after all, not that expensive (and I know it always wants to blow away!), but that is my usual way of doing it and I don't think I will change without some persuasion.

I would be checking with him to be sure he meant simply 'dropping' it onto another colony, and was not just stating a fact while missing out the method. But from your post it sounds as though you are sure he does it like that.

Regards, RAB

 

[BKF Admin]

Made me laugh Rab,glad I am not the only one who spends loads of time getting a sheet of newspaper to stay on a box before it blows away.

 

[OXFORDBEE]

Me too .. had to resort to sellotape on several occasions!

 

[jimbeekeeper]

It reminds me of holidays! You lay your towel out all nice and neat on your sun-bed and then just as you are about the sit down on it it blows away or over your face

Drawing pins for me, newspaper that is not my beach towel.

 

[Midland Beek]

I have done it a few times. But with the precaution of newspaper. I mean, why not bother to put newspaper in? Assuming you have not left it at home.

I see it as a way of giving bees from one colony to another. A few days later clear the super and put in back on the hive it came from.

 

[mbc]

no problem early season as the bees tend not to fight - later on newspaper saves lives !

 

[rich]

Thank you one and all for your comments
It didn't strike me until after we had parted that he wasn't using newspaper or anything else.
I to have used newspaper in the past, I use my trusted staple gun to tack down the corners these days, after a long fight with a very unruly sheet on my second try.

Again thank you all
Rich