Uniting colonies of different sizes

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Do224

Field Bee
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Is it possible to unite a large queenless colony with a very small queen right one? For example a full q- bb with a small q+ colony that’s on say 3 frames…

And vice versa?
 
I know folk say it doesn’t matter but I would make sure the queenright one is on top if it is the small colony
 
…and do you need to wait until the q- colony is hopelessly queenless or can you unite as soon as you make them queenless?

Perhaps it depends on whether using newspaper or air freshener? I’m thinking newspaper might result in queen cells whereas air freshener wouldn’t…
 
and do you need to wait until the q- colony is hopelessly queenless or can you unite as soon as you make them queenless?
If you are going to dispose of one queen, do the unite immediately on removing her
 
If you are going to dispose of one queen, do the unite immediately on removing her
Would there be queen cells to deal with or do they break through the newspaper before the bees have time to make them?
 
This Spring I united a Q+ colony in an Apidea with a Q- National. Apidea on top - obviously.
No issues.
 
Is it possible to unite a large queenless colony with a very small queen right one? For example a full q- bb with a small q+ colony that’s on say 3 frames…

And vice versa?
I did this last week with a Q+ nuc adding to a very large Q- colony. The Q- colony had been Q- for 5 days, they had 1 queen cell remaining.
Wednesday morning I moved the nuc into a full sized brood with stand in front of the Q- colony. Both entrances facing south.
Wednesday afternoon I removed the remaining queen cell from Q- and dbl checked no others had been built up. Also set the unite stage by placing newspaper above the top super, QX, crown board, roof.
Wednesday night (at dusk) I removed the Q- roof and crown board, slits in the newspaper.
A couple puffs of smoke under the Q+ colony to push the bees up on the frames (a few were on the OMF)
Q+ BB placed atop the Q-, QX
Thursday there was a mass of newspaper confetti under and in front of the hive.
Saturday, top BB was moved to bottom so the config was now Q+ BB, QX, BB with Q- brood, supers, crown board, roof
I checked them again last night (Thursday) to make sure the queen was ok (I was a bit rough with her Saturday when marking). All good. I wish I‘d spent a few more minutes checking for queen cells last night but I’m re-queening because they are defensive and not nice at all to work with.
 
I'm considering doing this but the queenless colony has been without a queen for at least 3 or 4 weeks. (they failed to create a new queen from a capped cell) Is it too late to unite them.? Also, they have been busy making honey and now have 5 supers! Should I reduce the number of supers before uniting, and what in order should I put the supers? I don't really want to shake them out as there are still thousands of quite feisty bees and my other 2 hives are likely to be overwhelmed.
 
I'm considering doing this but the queenless colony has been without a queen for at least 3 or 4 weeks. (they failed to create a new queen from a capped cell) Is it too late to unite them.? Also, they have been busy making honey and now have 5 supers! Should I reduce the number of supers before uniting, and what in order should I put the supers? I don't really want to shake them out as there are still thousands of quite feisty bees and my other 2 hives are likely to be overwhelmed.
Don't be too hasty, another couple of weeks you could see eggs in there. I usually start to consider failure after six weeks but I got caught out this year and found eggs after seven weeks.
If they are definitely queenless you can do things in stages, unite the supers first.
 
Should I reduce the number of supers before uniting, and what in order should I put the supers
No need to faff and fiddle about, just put the Q+ donor colony on top of the whole setup, ie Q- colony, QX, supers, newspaper,QX, Q+ colony. If the Q+ colony has any supers, then they go right on top.
 
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