Uniting Queenright with Queenless

[Tigger]

Hello all,

I want to unite a queenright colony + its supers (BB1 & Supers1) with a queenless colony + its supers (BB2 & Supers2).

Reading BBKA Guide to Beekeeping (2nd ed.) I'm a bit mystified.

The book would suggest that the order from the bottom would be: BB1; newspaper+ QX; BB2; newspaper+ QX; Supers1; newspaper+ QX; Supers2.

That's a lot of newspaper.

I wondered what would be wrong with: BB1; QX; Supers1; newspaper; BB2; Supers2.

In other words leave the queenright colony as it is. Put a newspaper above it and then the second (queenless) colony.


As a second question I have a colony with a new queen just emerged (approx yesterday). Could I unite a queenless colony above it?

Thanks folks.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hello all,

I want to unite a queenright colony + its supers (BB1 & Supers1) with a queenless colony + its supers (BB2 & Supers2).

Reading BBKA Guide to Beekeeping (2nd ed.) I'm a bit mystified.

Par for the course then. The BBKA mystifies most.
Simple really decide which colony is going to stay in the same spot (let's call it C1) and the other colony C2
remove the crown board off C1, lay a couple of sheets of newspaper over the super(s), put a couple of holes in the paper then put a QX on top. Then place the brood box from C2 over the QX, then QX then the C2 supers. Wait a few days for the colony to unite then consolidate all the boxes.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I wondered what would be wrong with: BB1; QX; Supers1; newspaper; BB2; Supers2.

In other words leave the queenright colony as it is. Put a newspaper above it and then the second (queenless) colony.
.

Ha! I missed that bit - yes, nothing wrong with that at all

As a second question I have a colony with a new queen just emerged (approx yesterday). Could I unite a queenless colony above it?

I would wait for the queen to mate first

 

[Tigger]

Hi,

Thank you so much.
Maybe I'm not mad after all.

 

[Michael Palmer]

I think this topic is getting way too complicated.

First, I always place the Q+ body on top, not on the bottom. I want the Q+ colony isolated and away from field bees. The Q+ field bees go down through the paper, not the other way around. The Q+ is safe above the paper.

So I would...Remove Q+ hive from Bottom Board. Place Q- BB on Bottom Board. Then newspaper. Then Q+ BB and her super on paper. Bang any bees from Q- supers, and place the 2 supers on Q+ super. Dump the old Q- bees that were shaken from the supers on the ground in front of the entrance.

Anyway, that's just me...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I think this topic is getting way too complicated.

First, I always place the Q+ body on top, not on the bottom. I want the Q+ colony isolated and away from field bees. The Q+ field bees go down through the paper, not the other way around. The Q+ is safe above the paper.

So I would...Remove Q+ hive from Bottom Board. Place Q- BB on Bottom Board. Then newspaper. Then Q+ BB and her super on paper. Bang any bees from Q- supers, and place the 2 supers on Q+ super. Dump the old Q- bees that were shaken from the supers on the ground in front of the entrance.

Anyway, that's just me...

Now that's turning simple into a bit more complicated IMO

 

[Michael Palmer]

Now that's turning simple into a bit more complicated IMO

Fair enough. I don't care how one does the unite. I just believe in placing the Q- on the bottom board.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I just do it whichever colony needs moving goes on top