Uniting two colonies

[BoothBees]

I've been reading posts on uniting colonies using newspaper and I'm planning to do this, however I have a couple of questions before I do.

The two colonies I have in mind are not located near one another, so I'm concerned about foragers getting lost after uniting them. Assuming I move the Q+ colony above the supers on the Q- colony, adding the newspaper between the top super and Q+ brood box, will the foragers from the Q+ colony reorient or will they fly back to the original location and be lost?

Is there any risk to the queen in the Q+ colony and, if so, is there any way to safeguard her?

Thanks

 

[Erichalfbee]

Prepare the hives in the day. Newspaper under a QX on top of the Q- colony.
Loosen the Q+ brood box off its floor.
Go back in the evening put a couple of little holes in the newspaper. Lift the Q+ box in top of the Q-
That’s it.
Go back in a few days and consolidate the brood frames.
With the queen on top to consolidate I move the whole shebang over put down a new floor and pop the top box on it. You know the queen is safe there but do look for her.
Then you can re organise the frames.

 

[thorn]

Go to the hive you're moving just as it's getting dark and put an entrance block in. Move it the following morning. At most you'll only lose a few dirty stopouts, and even they may hitch a ride under the floor. Put the hive you're moving above on top. Inevitably some will fly out and get lost as you lift it on, but if you're quick and have someone to help you you'll not lose too many.

 

[BoothBees]

Thank you both.

 

[BernardBlack]

Did I read somewhere that some folk, when uniting two colonies via the newspaper method, leave a Queen in each Brood box?

Is this advisable?

 

[ericbeaumont]

when uniting two colonies ... leave a Queen in each Brood box. Is this advisable?

If you have a preference for a queen - younger, better tempered bees, more productive and so on - then remove the other, because you don't know which will survive the unite.

Uniting BBs with queens in both would be acceptable if you have no queen preference, or no time to choose and remove.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Did I read somewhere that some folk, when uniting two colonies via the newspaper method, leave a Queen in each Brood box?

Is this advisable?

Two queens

Last autumn I found my lame three year old queen happily limping about on the frames, and a supercedure cell that looked as if it had been stung through and the occupant done away with. My first couple of inspections this year were just to check for eggs and brood, and to ensure that the colony...

beekeepingforum.co.uk

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Did I read somewhere that some folk, when uniting two colonies via the newspaper method, leave a Queen in each Brood box?

Is this advisable?

if you are not fussy with what queen you want to keep, does no harm

 

[BernardBlack]

if you are not fussy with what queen you want to keep, does no harm

I might have to unite two before winter. Both colonies aren’t huge, but both Queens are laying very well.

So, it’s just if it got to the point where I had to unite, I’d be killing a good Queen either way.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I might have to unite two before winter. Both colonies aren’t huge, but both Queens are laying very well.

So, it’s just if it got to the point where I had to unite, I’d be killing a good Queen either way.

That’s a shame.
Offer her to your BKA or here. Somebody will have her.