Uniting colonies

[Marvin]

A question, please.

I have a queenless colony. No eggs, no open or closed brood. I intend to combine with another.

So do I place the queenless brood box above or below the complete colony?

Regards

Andrew

 

[shonto]

Hi Marvin.
when i united earlier this year i put the Q- on top seperated pay paper with holes in.

shonto

 

[Midland Beek]

Uniting with newspaper tends to work whichever way. I would probably move the queenless colony onto the queenright one.

It is not wise to assume queenlessness just because there are no eggs or brood. If you do not want to bother with a test frame I would be inclined to have a really good look for a queen.

 

[oliver90owner]

I am with MB except that I would bother with a test frame.

Regards, RAB

 

[Moggs]

I totally endorse RAB's advice here. I was recently in danger of putting two colonies at risk in my haste to combine, without confirmation of Q- with a test frame. Fortunately, I did find a useless queen lurking in the hive (she had been damaged and wasn't productive). The alternative might have resulted in the demise of the 'good' queen in the other hive. Now that would have been a short, sharp, shock, going into winter. Reminds me of the saying "Act in haste, repent at leisure" and another "Measure twice, cut once"!

I have a sneaking suspicion that I may be reminded of those again, some way down the line....

Thanks RAB.

 

[Poly Hive]

It can never be assumed a colony is queenless unless you have killed the queen yourself.
It is actually quite rare for a colony not to have a queen of some sort, and sods law being what it is.............

PH

 

[Moggs]

Thanks too PH. Agreed, though I occasionally find myself trying to second-guess what I shouldn't! This scenario had me fabricating all sorts of egg-laying worker scenarios but my gut feeling was that a queen was there - hence the fairly bold move of shaking the bees into an empty BB with QE on top to isolate the queen. Sure enough, there she was.

These bees are at least doing something for my impulsive behaviour. Who knows, we may arrive at some sort of understanding before long!

 

[Midland Beek]

It is well written in Sods Law that the 'bad' queen will invariably kill the 'good' queen.

 

[Marvin]

Thanks everyone. Don't know what I'll do yet.