Unite 2 weak hives now or later?

[Erichalfbee]

I'm confused. If you shake out a hive without killing the queen surely they will stay with that queen. They'll either all go into another colony at which point the queens will fight, with who knows what outcome, or more likely they'll swarm off into someone's chimney. Or all go and live under an open mesh floor No?

The queens won’t fight
The bees will kill her

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

and what usually happens with a shakeout of a mediocre queen is a few bees will stay with her clustered on the floor and the rest will thin out

 

[pargyle]

I'm confused. If you shake out a hive without killing the queen surely they will stay with that queen. They'll either all go into another colony at which point the queens will fight, with who knows what outcome, or more likely they'll swarm off into someone's chimney. Or all go and live under an open mesh floor No?

Sorry - didn't make myself clear ... yes, ideally, you do have to find and remove the queen buf if the queen is there and you don't/can't find her you can shake them out on a sheet and yes - they will cluster around the queen and it will be pretty obvious where she is and pick her out ... not the best way but one way ... As JBM says - they don't all cluster round the queen - their natural instinct is more to return to the hive - and when they find it's not where they left it - they go to the nearest.

 

[Worker bee]

Depends how many strong hives you have and if you can afford to donate frames. Are they going on heather?