can I reunite a cast?

[inchyra]

Hi Everyone. Been reading and learning from the forum almost every day for a year.

Put simply, I have one colony, from which I lost a prime swarm on 8th May. I then destroyed 7 QC leaving 2. I bought a 2nd hive the next week (intending to use it as a bait hive to try and get someone elses swarm!). When my colony sent out a cast on 20th May I caught it and housed it in the new hive with frames of foundation. On 22nd May I put on a rapid feeder as there was no sign of comb being drawn. As of this morning they are feeding, probably taken about a quarter. So far so good I hope. I haven't disturbed the original hive as I presumed there would be a virgin queen about to mate.

However today I have found another cast - still the size of a rugby ball - and they are currently residing in a cardboard box under the tree.

I have no more kit. Can I reunite this 2nd cast with either the original colony or the first cast in the new hive? If so, which is preferable and how would you advise I do it? Newspaper and QE?

Hope this is clear! Many thanks in advance.

Chris

 

[oliver90owner]

However today I have found another cast - still the size of a rugby ball

How do you know it is not a small prime?

Not yours, clearly (I then destroyed 7 QC leaving 2) and that was on May 8th.

I wouldn't, therefore unite this last colony into your the main hive (health issues), but you could combine the casts, to make a stronger colony.

Sugar dust both colonies and combine them might be easiest as there is no brood. Removing the incoming queen (before uniting) would make sense if the temperament of your bees was OK.

RAB

 

[inchyra]

Hi Rab, many thanks for advice / quick response.

Chris

 

[Beeline]

Don't want to hijack the thread but...

When combining two casts, can one do it simply by placing the frames of bees from the other hive alongside the other with a sheet of newspaper as the vertical barrier between them OR, is it better to place one box over the other with a sheet in between?

I see RAB suggests a dusting of sugar before combining. I've used scented (mint) weak syrup, sprayed over the bees, when I introduced a mated queen. Interested to know of other members preferred methods.

Thanks.