Uniting swarms

[Jeff M]

I collected a small swarm this morning. Due to the number of swarms this year it doesn't look like anyone in the club has room for it, and I want to stay with just 2 hives for now.

My 2nd hive is from a swarm and has been in a brood box for about 3 weeks now.

My plan is to unite the 2 swarms to build the strength of the colony.

I was considering using the air freshener method and letting the queens duke it out, but how long should I leave the new swarm in a nuc before attempting to unite?

 

[wessexmario]

with fresh swarms no need to wait, you can just throw them in together, they'll be fine.

 

[snelgrove]

fresh swarms can be thrown in together never had more than one to deal with at a time this year hasn't been many stray swarms in this part of the country. however if the bees are hived up for a few days or more I would newspaper unite

 

[itma]

I collected a small swarm this morning. Due to the number of swarms this year it doesn't look like anyone in the club has room for it, and I want to stay with just 2 hives for now.

My 2nd hive is from a swarm and has been in a brood box for about 3 weeks now.

My plan is to unite the 2 swarms to build the strength of the colony.

I was considering using the air freshener method and letting the queens duke it out, but how long should I leave the new swarm in a nuc before attempting to unite?

3 weeks is a bit long. Received wisdom is that you can dump swarms in together within about 3 days.
Confusion combines are supposed to be for 3 (or more) colonies/swarms.

If your first swarm Q ("2nd hive") is laying good worker brood, I'd suggest that you try and preserve her. With a coupe of boxes and a couple of QXs, you should be able to extract (even a virgin) Q from your new catch - and then (newspaper) combine just the bees to the established colony.
Floor/QX/(empty)box and shake in the new swarm. QX on top, then another box - with frames (one with a bit of brood would be great). Workers will go up to the frames, swarm Q and swarm drones are trapped between the two QXs. So you can remove the lower box 'sandwich' and either terminate those unproductive (and questionable genetics) bees or take them a very long way away and allow nature to take its course. Which leaves you with a box of workers, ready to unite with your other colony.
Idea from Adrian Waring, Beecraft April 2001.

 

[Jeff M]

Thanks that's helpful.

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