Merging colonies

[Compostcritter]

Could anyone give me some advice regarding merging a weak colony with another colony ? I had a late swarm and the remaining bees have been beligured by wasps. I am feeding them at present but feel that there is not enough brood bees or food stores to wee them through winter. Is is to late to save the colony ? Your help woild be greatly appreciated

 

[onriver]

are they in a full hive? Just worried that they might have too much space to defend? If in a nuc or a hive I'd try and assess the current strength of the colony - how many frames of brood / stores / bees? If you think they can't increase enough for winter, let alone resist wasps, then I'd advise combining asap

 

[Polyanwood]

I think you are right to think of merging. The smaller the colony is, the more likey it won't make it through Winter. By merging you maximise the chances for both colonies.

Easiest way to merge;

Decide which queen you think is best and remove the other one.

Combine by putting 2 or 3 sheets of newspaper, pierced by 20 or so holes made with hive tool ( Not big enough hoes for a bee to go through), between the boxes so colonies can merge. I would put smaller colony on top. If small colny is still in nuc box, you will have to temporarily put them in BB wiht dummy boards, if you have them, to merge this way.

Keep entrance for colony small. Small as the end of your finger if wasps are still troubling it.

 

[Compostcritter]

Do I leave the brood box entrance open on the colony that will be merged. Or close so the bees eat through the paper? How long does it take for the bees to merge so I can rearrange the brood frames? Thank you for your responses

 

[fatshark]

Just put the brood box on top of the other, with the paper between them. The top box should have no entrance. The bees eat through the paper in a matter of a few hours ... the books say leave a week, but I always go back and check 24 hours later and have never seen them still separate. In due course the shredded paper ends up being chucked out of the front entrance of the bottom box.

So it'll look like this:

Roof
Supers - probably none by now
Brood box, weak colony
Paper - good quality, Guardian or Independent preferably
Brood box
Floor and entrance
Stand
Grass

I only ever use a single sheet of paper ... take some pins with you if it's a windy day as I can guarantee it'll blow away in the time it takes you to bend down and pick up the 'top' brood box.

Once they've merged, go ahead and rearrange the frames to leave the lower box as strong as possible. Shake the bees remaining in the top down.

Good luck

 

[drstitson]

i thought one had to use the FT?

 

[Compostcritter]

Cheers fatshark will Defiantley give your merhod a go this weekend.

 

[WaxManSmokerBoy]

i thought one had to use the FT?

Yes, the acquisitions and mergers section . . .

 

[fatshark]

i thought one had to use the FT?

If using the FT there's no point in examining the colony for at least a week to check they've merged ... it's completely indigestible

 

[onriver]

Has to be the Guardian - don't forget they need to be able to see both sides of the obstacle

 

[Erichalfbee]

don't forget they need to be able to see both sides of the obstacle

In which case it should be a blank piece of paper

 

[onriver]

nope - you need to slow down the process - you need lots of what if's....., but don't forget... haven't you considered....? That's where the Guardian wins over any other paper, let alone a blank sheet, which would just encourage the bees to plough straight through.....