An Update on cross bees

[enrico]

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/cross-bees.52107/Reference to the thread above, rather than tack this on the bottom
It may be of help to beginners.
Last year I had one stroppy hive and one swarm with a nice queen. Over winter I have moved the swarm gradually towards the stroppy hive.
Today I went through the swarm which was nice and quiet and checked for brood and food.
I then went through the stroppy hive which was building nicely. Being the first check of the season they were quietish. I was able to remove a frame at a time and gently look for the queen. I then put the checked frame in a new brood box. This was not absolutely necessary but it meant the queen was unable to go back onto a frame I had checked. I eventually found the queen and without taking my eyes off her I put her in a marking cage. I then moved all the other frames into the new brood box. I moved the hive stand so it was midway between the two hives and swapped the boxes of the stroppy hive so that the bees were back where they started. A sheet of newspaper and put the swarm on top of the stroppy hive. It all went well and the bees from both hives were soon entering the entrance that had moved slightly for both of them! I hope that makes sense
I have found this is one of the best ways to sort out a stroppy hive at the beginning of the season. They don't need to be touched now until I am happy the new quiet queen has taken over!
The only thing I would say is remember how stroppy the queen was last year because on your first inspection you may wonder what all the fuss was about!
E

 

[BugsInABox]

I moved the hive stand so it was midway between the two hives and swapped the boxes of the stroppy hive so that the bees were back where they started.

Struggled to picture this. Don't they both end up on the hive stand which is now midway?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Struggled to picture this

ditto - and struggled to understand why all the faffery

 

[Erichalfbee]

Err …..kill the bad queen and just unite? The hives can be yards apart
Why all the extra stuff?

 

[enrico]

Err …..kill the bad queen and just unite? The hives can be yards apart
Why all the extra stuff?

I was trying to keep it short. I combined at midday so loads of flyers. The hives were close but one was set back to the other. A mistake I won't make again because as the flyers came back and couldn't find their hive they flew to the side of the existing hive where they promptly went under the omf. Within a couple of minutes I had a neat ball under the hive. I moved the hive so the entrance was midway between where both hives had been and brushed the bees off. Problem solved and they all found the entrance this time. That is the whole story! Hope that helps!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I was trying to keep it short. I combined at midday so loads of flyers. The hives were close but one was set back to the other. A mistake I won't make again because as the flyers came back and couldn't find their hive they flew to the side of the existing hive where they promptly went under the omf. Within a couple of minutes I had a neat ball under the hive. I moved the hive so the entrance was midway between where both hives had been and brushed the bees off. Problem solved and they all found the entrance this time. That is the whole story! Hope that helps!

Well the answer is to combine in the evening when the bees are all at home.
I’ve never done it any other way. Saves an awful lot of faff. The bees don’t even realise their home has been lifted off the floor and moved on top of another

 

[The Poot]

I guess the temperatures had a bearing on when Enrico could do it. My lot were all inside well before evening as the air temperature quickly dropped.

 

[enrico]

Well the answer is to combine in the evening when the bees are all at home.
I’ve never done it any other way. Saves an awful lot of faff. The bees don’t even realise their home has been lifted off the floor and moved on top of another

Once again, the whole story! I have neighbours and I have a hive that started to cause problems last year. It was a question of combining when I knew the neighbours wouldn't be around and when it was warm enough to do so. You can't always do things when it is best for you or the bees. This happened to be the only time this week that I could risk going into a stroppy hive. Even then I rang the neighbours to tell them what I was doing! .
Blimey, I'm beginning to wish I hadn't started this thread!
Simply it went well!
A little less simply, there were problems I had to work around!
In the end it worked to my satisfaction if not totally smoothly!
Phew!

 

[Erichalfbee]

You can't always do things when it is best for you or the bees. This happened to be the only time this week that I could risk going into a stroppy hive.

So you go into that hive when you did. Kill one queen and prepare the bees for unite. Go away till the evening when nobody is about and move one hive on top of the other

 

[enrico]

So you go into that hive when you did. Kill one queen and prepare the bees for unite. Go away till the evening when nobody is about and move one hive on top of the other

I wish I had thought of something so simple.