Uniting my bee's

[MrB]

At present i have 2 nat hives of bee's.

Hive 1.
Comfirmed Q- (test frame been in for 5 days, now containing sealed Q cells)

Although Q- this hive has the most bee's (on about 6 frames) and around 3 frames of stores in the BB and a couple of partly drawn frames of foundation.
1 super on top with 1 partly capped frame of honey, and a couple of partly drawn frames

Hive 2.
Q+ but only about 1 1/2 frames of brood (from eggs to sealed) bee's covering about 3 frames. at most 1 1/2 frames of stores and some partly drawn foundation.

The 2 hives are next to each other but entrances facing opposite each other.

My thoughts are to unite these bees considering the time of year, (they were originally from the same nuc).

I would appreciate any comments on this method?

Method.

spray both lots of bee's with mist of water and lemon grass oil to give similar odour.

in the evening, remove roof and crown board from Q+ hive and place sheet of newspaper (containing several small holes?) over BB and cover with QX

Place BB from Q- hive on top of this with its super, crown board and roof.

Leave for a couple of days.

Is this ok??

Will the flying bee's from the Q- hive find their new home?? (about 2 feet away and 180 deg out)?

Thanks in advance

 

[justme]

i would have thought that using paper, spray and qe was like cracking a nut with a sledge hammer. I used only paper. Think qe and paper a bit much, what was your reason for both? They shouldnt have an issue finding their new home. I wouldve thought this afternoon would be good?

 

[biggles]

Might be worth turning it so its only 90 degrees out for both colony's

Pete

 

[MrB]

i would have thought that using paper, spray and qe was like cracking a nut with a sledge hammer. I used only paper. Think qe and paper a bit much, what was your reason for both? They shouldnt have an issue finding their new home. I wouldve thought this afternoon would be good?

Ok, take your point! perhaps it is a tad OTT

 

[MrB]

Might be worth turning it so its only 90 degrees out for both colony's

Pete

Good idea, why didnt i think of that!

 

[MrB]

United on Sunday!
i'll give them a couple of days to settle, there is still quiet a bit of confusion around the hive but becoming less