Bees refusing to unite!!

[The Riviera Kid]

I am trying to unite a queenless colony in a brood box with a small (four-frame) Buckfast nuc sitting in another brood box above them using the classic sheet-of-newspaper method.

All went well with the process but after nearly a week the bees steadfastly refuse to eat their way through the paper. I lifted the lid again last night to see the the Buckfast colony still sitting on their frames and not a scratch on the paper. The queenless colony beneath seem equally indifferent to what's above them. They are all just happy to hang out on either side of the newspaper!

So should I just cut a tear in the paper? Spray both lots of bees with minty sugar water and bung them all in together? Or just leave them to chomp through the paper in their own time?

 

[jackbee]

Small tears in paper with hivel tool seems to be what most pep0le do - suppose it gives a start to scent transfer etc I would try that straight away

 

[Poly Hive]

If you do not offer a penetration first they cannot make a start with their "cutting gear"

So you always make a couple of pricks with the hive tool to give them a start.

PH

 

[alanf]

All went well with the process but after nearly a week the bees steadfastly refuse to eat their way through the paper.

What sort of paper? They're usually through ordinary newsprint paper with or without holes well within 24 hours. A sprinkle of drops of water might soften paper enough to get started.

Or have you left an entrance hole each side? That would have them operating as two hives with no incentive to get through.

 

[The Riviera Kid]

If you do not offer a penetration first they cannot make a start with their "cutting gear"

I didn't know that! I've never had to unite before so this is new territory for me! Thank you.

What sort of paper? They're usually through ordinary newsprint paper with or without holes well within 24 hours. A sprinkle of drops of water might soften paper enough to get started.

Or have you left an entrance hole each side? That would have them operating as two hives with no incentive to get through.

I've used pages of the Daily Torygraph - frankly, it's about all it's useful for

There is only an entrance for the queenless colony beneath. The Buckfast lot are "sealed in" by the newspaper.

 

[Der Alte Fritz]

I know exactly what your problem is, you have used a sheet of the newspaper with the picture of a politician or celebrity on it. The bees (being wise and mature creatures of ancient knowledge) know to avoid these pests like the plague and are thereofre sitting on the frames safely above the nuisance.

Replace your paper with the share prices page (all text or numbers) and your problem will go away.

 

[beeno]

Hi The Riviera Kid,
How sure are you that one colony is Q-. I have been told by someone experienced that they will never abandon their queen. So, could this result in stalemate?

 

[Sir Quej]

have you made sure one of the colonies is sealed in? The queenless colony should be sealed in so that their only way of exit is through the other brood box...

 

[Skyhook]

have you made sure one of the colonies is sealed in? The queenless colony should be sealed in so that their only way of exit is through the other brood box...

Or preferably the Q+. Saves all the Q- lot trooping past her in a bad mood to get out.

 

[Outlander]

Small tears in paper with hivel tool seems to be what most pep0le do - suppose it gives a start to scent transfer etc I would try that straight away

with Jackbee. No I actually do

 

[itma]

If you do not offer a penetration first they cannot make a start with their "cutting gear"

So you always make a couple of pricks with the hive tool to give them a start.

... A sprinkle of drops of water might soften paper enough to get started. ...

- but was taught to use some dribbles of syrup rather than plain water.

 

[jackbee]

with Jackbee. No I actually do

 

[masterBK]

When I unite with paper, I use the Baldock (crown of thorns) marking cage to put in rings of small holes in the paper. In a matter of seconds you can add dozens of small holes. The trouble with using the hive tool is that the holes produced may be too large and bees rush through too soon and you end up with hundreds of bodies

 

[The Riviera Kid]

I know exactly what your problem is, you have used a sheet of the newspaper with the picture of a politician or celebrity on it. The bees (being wise and mature creatures of ancient knowledge) know to avoid these pests like the plague and are thereofre sitting on the frames safely above the nuisance.

Replace your paper with the share prices page (all text or numbers) and your problem will go away.

Re: the other contributions, yes, the colony in the lower brood is *certainly* Q- I have been very thorough and there have been no eggs for a while. She went DLQ before she stopped laying (or the workers got rid of her.

The upper Q+ colony are well and truly sealed in.

In the end, I went over today and they'd more or less ignored the large tears in the paper so I sprayed everything with mint and simply put the two lots of frames together. There didn't seem to be any fighting going on an hour later and there was a marked increase in bee activity out the front with girls doing their orientation thing so *hopefully* it's worked.

It was the zero-option for both colonies. The Q- had no queen and were doomed and the Q+ was so small that they probably wouldn't have enough girl power to get through winter anyway.

I will prick the paper with lots of small holes when I unite the last colonies on Sunday. Both are much more powerful so hopefully all will go to plan this time.

thanks to all for the suggestions, info and discussion.

Cheers!

 

[Beanwood]

In the end, I went over today and they'd more or less ignored the large tears in the paper so I sprayed everything with mint and simply put the two lots of frames together. There didn't seem to be any fighting going on an hour later and there was a marked increase in bee activity out the front with girls doing their orientation thing so *hopefully* it's worked.

I had a similar situation, and ended up doing exactly the same thing (But without spraying mint)
They all merged absoltely fine

 

[REDWOOD]

with Jackbee. No I actually do

Miracle

 

[jackbee]

with Jackbee. No I actually do

Miracle

it's not difficult, i'm invariably right

 

[Outlander]

Oh so tempting, but I'm not going to.

 

[jackbee]

Oh so tempting, but I'm not going to.

good choice

 

[tonybloke]

Oh so tempting, but I'm not going to.

good decision mate, scratching at irritating things only makes them more irritating.