Combining one weak and one queen-less colony from two aperies.

[Erichalfbee]

amazed they’ve not cooked in there with all that wrapping on

Insulation?

 

[user 22881]

OK, allow me to retort.
This little colony of bees didn’t start off that way. They come from a large natural swarm that entered my WBC back in May, seven days after I had first set it up. This is my first foray into beekeeping. I felt extremely privileged that they had chosen me.
A week later I went into the hive for the first time to find most of the colony had moved on leaving a queen which I found and marked on that inspection along with a couple of frames of bees.
I then got to watch as my little colony was slowly decimated. Every week the colony grow a little smaller. I made so many different entrances for that WBC some with small entrances some with really long tunnel like entrances to try and keep the wasps out. The robbing become merciless
I studied what course of action I could take. I watched hours and hours of video and looked into articles. Everything I was seeing was telling me there was NOTHING I could do. One video I saw they actually stated let the colony die.
This was unacceptable to me. So I found a local club, found a contract phone number and spoke to someone.
We talked for nearly twenty minutes and the upshot was it sounds like you’ve done everything you can, you’ll have to let them die off.
Just after that phone call I decided to move them into the Nuc and into the polytunnel.

1. Temperature
It soon become clear there were not enough of them to stabilise
the temperature in the Nuc. How did I know this well that was down to the BBQ thermometer with one probe in the hive just above the brood frames and one at hive height just outside the hive.
This sends the readings to a receiver in my kitchen.
2. Temperature control.
This is accomplished with lots and lots of insulation which helps hold the temperature consistent, the use USB power packs

a portable vivarium heater mat (which doesn’t do that much but it did help keep the temp above 31c over night)

and a mini computer fan.


Now probably because there are more of them they are much more able to control the temp themselves.
3. Feeding.
They have the choice of fondant on the landing along along with 1:1. There’s a 2:1 rapid feeder in there as well as pollen pattie.
To be honest I spoilt them feeding with eye droppers on the landing and making them a dinner plate (Yes I know).

They lived on unprocessed honey from a hive from up the road for weeks.
Conclusion, is it an ideal situation of cause not but it is infinitely better than the alternative.
Now I have a chance at combining with a queenless colony I believe the owner wants me to take on anyway.
My only concern now it the joining goes well as as you can now imagine I would be gutted for it to fail and loose them and all the hard work put in.
Buy the way I have to get up by 6am to clean out all the spider webs change power packs to get it them on charge and I work from home so I’m watching the temperature all the time and when it has got too hot I have let them out but robbing has taken place. Also please remember it can get hot in the polytunnel but I don’t know about anyone else but I don’t keep my bedroom at 35c.
Also when I ask what would you have done in that situation I ask that not to start an argument or accuse but as a genuine question which would have been nice to have received a more informed answer that’s all.
New keepers come here for a reason.
Regards
Gaff.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Gaff
The whole thread is now in the beginners section so replies hopefully should be more helpful.
The problem is that unless you give us all the information it's difficult to offer a sensible solution.

 

[markb2603]

Where is your queenless hive situated now (the one that the friend has moved over to your place)? Hopefully outside the poly tunnel, stick a sheet of newspaper ontop, queen excluder than a brood box. Transfer your frames from the nuc into that (hopefully all frames from both boxes are compatible) along with some drawn or foundation frames to fill it out. Stick a feeder on top and leave them to it for 2 weeks. Come back and check on them and if all going well you can decide the condense down to a single brood for the winter using the best frames.

 

[user 22881]

Gaff
The whole thread is now in the beginners section so replies hopefully should be more helpful.
The problem is that unless you give us all the information it's difficult to offer a sensible solution.

Hi
Yea sorry, but I didn’t realise that thread was going to go off at that tangent.
G.

 

[user 22881]

Where is your queenless hive situated now (the one that the friend has moved over to your place)? Hopefully outside the poly tunnel, stick a sheet of newspaper ontop, queen excluder than a brood box. Transfer your frames from the nuc into that (hopefully all frames from both boxes are compatible) along with some drawn or foundation frames to fill it out. Stick a feeder on top and leave them to it for 2 weeks. Come back and check on them and if all going well you can decide the condense down to a single brood for the winter using the best frames.

Hi
This is my dilemma. The queenless hive is half mile up the road I don’t own or have it yet.
we just moved one here and it was successful but I still don’t know which to do first move the queenless here first or combine then move.
G

 

[Murox]

Move and combine. Job done.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hi
This is my dilemma. The queenless hive is half mile up the road I don’t own or have it yet.
we just moved one here and it was successful but I still don’t know which to do first move the queenless here first or combine then move.
G

Move and combine. Yes you might lose some of the bees from your friends colony but he has other hives they can find homes in.

 

[ericbeaumont]

keep the wasps out ... studied what course of action I could take ... there was NOTHING I could do

Once wasps locate and predate a weak colony there's not much that can be done to save it, except to move it 3 miles way until the end of the wasp season. Good luck with the unite, and let us know the outcome.

 

[markb2603]

Yup, as everyone advises. Move and unite. I would probably move the Q+ nuc up the road and unite with the stronger Q- colony. That way you shouldn’t lose too many fliers and you’ll get the nuc out of the polytunnel. The resulting box will be alright strength wise so if you reduce the entrance, wasps shouldn’t be an issue as they should be able to fend any visitors off. Leave them be then for a bit to get accustomed while you think over the best overwintering set up and location.