Myth or Fact?

[The Poot]

It is often said that to make a nuc from two colonies they will fight, but won’t from three?
Uniting two colonies they don’t fight but the uniting is extended over a short period, by using paper.
But, spraying with air freshener prevents fighting without delaying the process.
If a nuc was created thus - two lots of bees, with air freshener and an introduced queen, would they fight and would they be likely to accept the queen?

 

[Antipodes]

and would they be likely to accept the queen?

A new queen from elsewhere...as in not previously associated with any of the bees?

 

[lindsay s]

I wouldn’t want to risk an established queen by uniting bees with just air freshener. If it was a new queen I still wouldn’t do it, even if I was pushed for time. I always use newspaper, what’s another day in the bigger picture.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

people just like to get excited with magic tricks

 

[The Poot]

A new queen from elsewhere...as in not previously associated with any of the bees?

Yes.

 

[The Poot]

I wouldn’t want to risk an established queen by uniting bees with just air freshener. If it was a new queen I still wouldn’t do it, even if I was pushed for time. I always use newspaper, what’s another day in the bigger picture.

I have only once united bees with just air freshener and it went fine. Other folk on here do so regularly it seems. It’s horses for courses I suppose.
However, I wasn’t asking about uniting bees, but making a new colony from two others, mainly concerning the fighting risk.

 

[madasafish]

I regularly use air freshener: even adding a frame of brood plus bees (not including a Q!) to a weak colony.. Makes strengthening far more effective.
Works so far 100% ..since 2018

Cheap air freshener is less than a broadsheet newspaper.

 

[enrico]

people just like to get excited with magic tricks

And some don't like new ideas

 

[Sutty]

I've used air freshener to add a nuc into a small colony, to drop a swarm into a queenless colony, and to unite colonies with no problems.
I've often wondered if you could use it to introduce a queen: put her in a cage or clip on the top bars, spray the lot then release her immediately.

 

[The Poot]

I've used air freshener to add a nuc into a small colony, to drop a swarm into a queenless colony, and to unite colonies with no problems.
I've often wondered if you could use it to introduce a queen: put her in a cage or clip on the top bars, spray the lot then release her immediately.

That was my train of thought. If the spray rids the box of queen pheromones, I would think the introduced queen could be more easily accepted. I don’t know if I want to spend £40 to try it out, but it seems a feasible idea (not a magic trick).

 

[enrico]

A couple of weeks ago I left the queen in the cage for 24 hours in the hive and then a quick spray and released her. No problem. Not quite the same but I was a bit uncomfortable doing it immediately.

 

[Sutty]

The spray won't get rid of the pheromones, but may confuse scents enough that they can't tell it's not "their" queen.

 

[madasafish]

I am not rich enough to gamble on queen rearing by introducing Qs with air freshener.
<Cough> Or should I say too mean?

 

[Swarm]

It is often said that to make a nuc from two colonies they will fight, but won’t from three?
Uniting two colonies they don’t fight but the uniting is extended over a short period, by using paper.
But, spraying with air freshener prevents fighting without delaying the process.
If a nuc was created thus - two lots of bees, with air freshener and an introduced queen, would they fight and would they be likely to accept the queen?

I watched Bob Binnie unite two colonies simply by pouring a load of syrup over the top bars.
"By the time they finish cleaning that lot up they'll all be sisters."