joining two hives in spring

[sahtlinurk]

How do you do it? Specially the queen finding part in this not so warm weather. i got 4 hives to join, all have 3-4 frames of bees(brood on 2 frames each ) . would like to have rather two stronger colonies before OSR kicks off.

cheers,
Lauri

 

[sharonh]

Hi,
Are any of your queens marked or clipped?
If so, they are easy enough to spot early in the season, less bees.
I wouldn't do it yet if your weather is still cool as you will have to open to find queen.
I don't inspect until April myself as weather still cool here also.
Anyway to unite one with another, one queen will have to be removed.
Normally the queenless colony on top. Sheet of newspaper with a couple of small slits & q excluder. Bees slowly chew their way through. They unite slowly.
Are your hives beside one another?
If all these queens are good queens in lay. There might be a beekeeper that would take the ones you don't want. Are you with a Beekeepers Association? If so, contact them to see does anyone need a queen.
Wait until your weather is better i would say anyway first before doing anything.
Regards
Sharon

 

[Cazza]

How do you do it? Specially the queen finding part in this not so warm weather. i got 4 hives to join, all have 3-4 frames of bees(brood on 2 frames each ) . would like to have rather two stronger colonies before OSR kicks off.

cheers,
Lauri

Quickly at this time of year would be my answer. No hanging about. In, think like a queen and don't bother with store frames. Where would you be if you were her? Laying eggs. Look for frames with polished cells.
Cover the top of the frames with something warm whilst you work. I would find queenie at the hottest part of the day in the best weather of the week.(when the fliers are out) Squish her and then combine later in the day or early morning. That bit is easy and very quick.

Cazza

 

[oliver90owner]

At the worst just unite - the queens would sort themselves out. Not ideal, but if none of the queens is at all special ...

Park one colony above the other for a couple of days with a Q/E and OMF between so scents mingle. Then remove the screens. You could shake the bees through a Q/E to find an elusive queen. It should not be difficult to find a queen, even if one needs to use the tricks for finding - eg shaking all bees into a bottom box with just a couple of frames and allowing most bees back to brood upstairs. Just need to pick a warm day to do it! Been plenty of them recently.

Probably too late for when OSR kicks off anyway, unless it is slowed seriously. Foragers are three week old bees after emergence. Seems to me that at least three colonies united to one is likely required.

 

[sahtlinurk]

thank you all. will get on as soon as weather permits.
cheers,
Lauri