Combining Hives using Newspaper. Lots of fighting and dead bees

[tombo]

Tried a combine 2 days ago with a Queenless into Queen right.

Queenless on top separated by newspaper, stuck a Queen excluder between just in case.

Checked today and there are a lot of dead bees outside, Clearly some fighting has been going on. Quick check of the newspaper and it has holes through it. Looks like they didn't want to mix.

Probably shouldn't have but I've removed the Queenless off, I don't want to risk my Queen dying before winter comes through. I've spotted her quickly, she's alive and well.

I'm probably going to let the Queenless die off, They were a caught swarm and very aggressive so it's no big loss but in future what should I have done different?

The Queenless colony were in that state for a good 3 weeks, I thought they would be buzzing to get a new Queen.

 

[enrico]

A bit late in the season in case you did lose the queen but apart from that you did nothing wrong. I would have left them having got that far.

 

[tombo]

Yeah I should have but I was fairly concerned for the queen, I only have 1 Hive now the swarm hive is lost. If I lost her it would be end of.

Swarm hive is nuts anyway, shame they have to die but they are a nightmare to deal with

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

just shake them out a few yards away from the other hive.

 

[tombo]

just shake them out a few yards away from the other hive.

For what purpose, sorry?

To let them die or hope they go in?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

they will eventually beg their way in to the other hive