Combining two hives

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whynothot

New Bee
Joined
Jul 8, 2012
Messages
27
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Location
Crosshands, Carmarthenshire
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
2
I have two colonies I want to combine as one is very small and queenless (colony 1), the other doing better and saw the queen this morning (Colony 2).

I know I need to put colony 1 (the queenless hive) on top of colony 2, with newspaper between so they can unite.

But do I take out the queen excluder from off the top of colony 2 before I put the newspaper on, or do I leave it in place, put the newspaper on and then the brood box from colony 1 on top?

I guess the supers then go back on the top after that?

Been reading my books and doind some research, but want to be sure

thanks
 
I would leave the QE on, as you will be removing the bottom brood box after the unite you dont want the queen down there laying eggs, with the QE on you know where she is.
 
I would leave the QE on, as you will be removing the bottom brood box after the unite you dont want the queen down there laying eggs, with the QE on you know where she is.


erm, yes you do want the queen 'down there' laying. as the queenless hive is to be placed on top of the queen-right hive. ;)

leave queen excluder in place (on top of bottom brood box) then place queenless brood box on top of paper, then the supers.
 
The queen is already in the lower brood box with the QE on top, then newspaper, then the queenless brood. I hoped the queenless brood would move down into the lower box, allowing me to remove the top brood box when they had combined??
 
Sorry, thought the Q+ part was going on top, but anyway, yes to the QE :)
 
QE also helps to keep the newspaper in place
 
From my experience it doesn't matter if the Q is in the top or bottom box when you unite.
 
:iagree: done it both ways depending which is more convenient for for the hives you are trying to combine. Both have worked.
E
 
Either way is fine. In an emergency you can even plonk Q- brood box on top of honey supers using newspaper between them but don't forget to let the drones out from above the Q/E the next day:eek:
 

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