Uniting a swarm to q- hive

[aberreef]

I performed an AS on one of my hives last week but they still swarmed a few days later. They settled towards the top of a large oak tree near the apiary so, with more than a little effort, I managed to catch them by climbing to the top of a ladder and used a bucket on a 12' pole to shake the bees into (not ideal but the only option I had!)

Miraculously they have stayed in the hive I put them in and three days later there's pollen being taken in and the hive is very active. I need to move the colony from their current location and would like to reunite with the original, q- hive.

My plan is to use the paper method to unite, is this suitable and is there anything else I should be considering? I've removed all the queen cells from the q- hive already since they are not the nicest bees to work and I have no desire to increase from them

I've never united a colony this late in the season so I'm unsure about how the bees will re orientate themselves etc

Thanks

Huw

 

[oliver90owner]

Paper method has always been good enough.

No change of queen? Likely they will go again in a few weeks time, if the weather/forage is favourable.

Do check carefully that there are no new, or hidden, queen cells or you will have further bother.

Seems like it might be better to remove the swarmed queen and give them a frame with eggs from a 'more gentle' colony.

I've united as late as October and likely November, so not too late in the season yet!!

 

[aberreef]

Excellent, thank you. I've got a few nucs setup with QCs from my calmest colony and my plan is to re queen using one of these once she is laying

 

[enrico]

Why not shove one of those queen cells in the q- colony?

 

[beeno]

Hi all,
I noticed in another thread that Finman stated that he re-units in a week times to ensure good honey yield. Perhaps Finman can give us some stats on the likelihood that they will try to go again. Obviously, in making this manoeuvre it is important to give them more space i.e. double brood.

 

[Eyeman]

I need to move the colony from their current location and would like to reunite with the original, q- hive.

The swarm has been in its current location for 3+ days which I presume is some distance away from the hive you want to unite it with.
What are others views on how many foragers from the swarm will return to their original site after uniting- 3 feet to 3 mile rule?
Alec

 

[oliver90owner]

Probably none. What is your view?

 

[Eyeman]

Probably none. What is your view?

When I unite 2 colonies I firstly get them positioned close together, even if it means moving one hive in stages.
The swarm had been in its current location for 3 days so foragers will have orientated to that site. Will they re-orientate before flying off from the new location?
Alec

 

[aberreef]

Why not shove one of those queen cells in the q- colony?

I'm trying to maximise honey yield without increasing my number of hives

When I unite 2 colonies I firstly get them positioned close together, even if it means moving one hive in stages.
The swarm had been in its current location for 3 days so foragers will have orientated to that site. Will they re-orientate before flying off from the new location?
Alec

That's what I'm afraid of, the bees returning to the original site. I've united hives early in the year and had no issue with bees returning to the old site but never tried it this late on.

 

[aberreef]

I reunited via the paper method and had some but not total success. The queen and vast majority of workers stayed but a few hundred went back to the place where the swarm hive was.

The new box is fully drawn out and the queen has laid in most of the frames too so hopefully they will do me proud this august!!!

 

[jonnybeegood]

I performed an AS on one of my hives last week but they still swarmed a few days later. They settled towards the top of a large oak tree near the apiary so, with more than a little effort, I managed to catch them by climbing to the top of a ladder and used a bucket on a 12' pole to shake the bees into (not ideal but the only option I had!)

Miraculously they have stayed in the hive I put them in and three days later there's pollen being taken in and the hive is very active. I need to move the colony from their current location and would like to reunite with the original, q- hive.

My plan is to use the paper method to unite, is this suitable and is there anything else I should be considering? I've removed all the queen cells from the q- hive already since they are not the nicest bees to work and I have no desire to increase from them

I've never united a colony this late in the season so I'm unsure about how the bees will re orientate themselves etc

Thanks

Huw

Are you sure the original hive is Q-? If its not & you unite with the original Q she may be killed, if they are nasty why not change the Q now, maybe give the q- colony a frame with eggs, see if they make Q cells, if not maybe they have a Q? If they do make cells they will then get a new Q & you can kill the old one before uniting? putting the old Q back wont change the nastiness. Im no expert but thats what i would try.