Bees fighting?

[BigAshW]

Do over the winter months I've caught up on various bits of bee info and some YouTube stuff.

I've been interested to note Beekeepers (Bob Binnie to note although I seem to recall a brief mention in one of Micheal Palmer's talks as well). Happily moving combs of bees and brood between hives and uniting laying worker colonies by simply popping the box on another strong hive, no paper needed etc.

When asked they say that the bees don't fight at all?

So I guess my question is. Is the mantra that bees from different colonies will fight and kill each other when introduced just another of those beekeeping fables passed down alongside matchsticks and top ventilation?

 

[Swarm]

It's true in cases where you make up a nuc with combs from three colonies, probably confusion. I have also returned bees in a failed nuc back to their original home with no trouble, I wouldn't want to try uniting two colonies this way though.

 

[BigAshW]

It's true in cases where you make up a nuc with combs from three colonies, probably confusion. I have also returned bees in a failed nuc back to their original home with no trouble, I wouldn't want to try uniting two colonies this way though.

That's a fair point about the nucs.

It was interesting watching them use combs of bees and brood to balance colonies out seemed to be pretty peaceful and that was a comb from one colony into another.

I only saw one case of uniting a colony without any other controls in place but at the time Bob stated that's what they do to all laying workers.

 

[Repwoc]

I've thought the same. When they make up cell starter colonies they 'shake in extra bees from other colonies'. I liked Bob Binnie's method of doing this - he shakes them onto a board resting with one end against the hive entrance and they all walk in like hiving a swarm. Didn't see any fighting at the entrance. Of course all the older flying bees immediately go home after being shaken onto the board.