Uniting colonies

[bustergrimes]

Hello everyone.

I have 2 questions which I'm after some advice on please:

1 - I had an aggressive colony which I wanted to requeen. I killed the old queen, split into 2 nucs and introduced a mated queen into one of them. The mated queen appears to be laying fine after a week and I'd like to unite these 2 nucs back to 1 colony. How long I should wait before uniting?

2 - I performed and artificial swarm with a Snelgrove board but I don't need to make an increase I just wanted to quash the impulse to swarm. Could I reunite the bees before they make a new queen assuming I break down all QC's?

Thanks.

 

[Davelin]

Why did you split into 2 nucs? Surely easier just to introduce new queen after killing old one.

The queenless nuc will most likely have made emergency queen cells by now.

I would go through this nuc and remove said cells and re-unite asap.

 

[enrico]

1 confused about split too! But squirt of air freshener in each and put back in brood box
2 the whole point of a snelgrove board is that you open the entrances to bleed the flying bees back into the original hive. Don't see the problem. Let bees use entrance over board, after a week close above entrance and open the one below it. Open the opposite entrance above the board to create another flight path. Repeat till none left!
E

 

[deanrpwaacs]

Whats all this air freshner business going on ? Cant be good for them can it .

 

[bustergrimes]

1 - Queens are more readily accepted into nucs aren't they? That's what I keep reading anyway... Besides, I've tried to introduce a new mated queen to an aggressive (queenless) colony in the past and they have on both occasions not accepted her. Anyway - this is all sorted now thanks.

2 - I use a Snelgrove board as I am short on space where some of my hives located. Putting the split on top rather also saves on extra equipment.

It's been 6 days now so I'm wondering whether to knock down all bar 1 QC and leave them make a new queen up top or knock them all down and re-unite a day later. Like I say, I just wanted to quash the urge to swarm. I'm not after a new queen or a new colony I'd prefer a good honey crop from 1 colony.

What's the best way to achieve this from the current set-up?

I understand the principle of filtering flying bees which I'd be happy to do but will it achieve what I'm after?

Thanks

 

[Arfermo]

Why did you split into 2 nucs? Surely easier just to introduce new queen after killing old one.

The queenless nuc will most likely have made emergency queen cells by now.

I would go through this nuc and remove said cells and re-unite asap.

Precisely? What on earth was the point of splitting when you are going to reunite anyway?

 

[enrico]

Whats all this air freshner business going on ? Cant be good for them can it .

A quick squirt of the least offensive air freshener in each part of the hive you want to combine seems to work a charm. Probably better than the chemicals in newspaper print. Learnt about it on this forum and now use it all the time.
E