Uniting two small nucs

[popcornpie]

Can anyone tell me if they have tried uniting 2 nucs using the vertical newspaper shown in this link. Does it work?

http://www.beekeeping.org.uk/home_john_mjun.htm

 

[DerbyBee]

Why not vertically combine the two nucs with newspaper in between?

That's what ill be doing tomorrow or Saturday. Ill be taking one of the Queens out of a nuc to re-queen another hive who are rather aggressive and then ill combine the two nucs vertically with newspaper in between.

 

[MartinL]

Why would you be wanting to unite in Early May?

 

[popcornpie]

One of the nucs is in a white box with a hinged roof and no removable floor. They are 2 tiny caste swarms from my friend's hive. We have been thinking about using the flour method to unite. Or we could transfer them into a brood box and super with newspaper between.
Which method would be best?

 

[Swarm]

You could try a blast of fabric spray into each and then transfer. Some swear by it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Put One of them in a paper bag

 

[Erichalfbee]

Why not vertically combine the two nucs with newspaper in between?

That's what ill be doing tomorrow or Saturday. Ill be taking one of the Queens out of a nuc to re-queen another hive who are rather aggressive and then ill combine the two nucs vertically with newspaper in between.

I wouldn't try re-queening an aggressive colony with a queen. I would re-queen with the nucleus. Much safer

 

[DerbyBee]

I wouldn't try re-queening an aggressive colony with a queen. I would re-queen with the nucleus. Much safer

Sorry, not sure what you mean.

I was thinking of poping the nucleus queen into a cage with candy and then squish the aggressive hives queen and pop the queen with cage in. This will then leave me with a queen right nucleus colony and queenless nuc, then unite the nucs together with newspaper vertically.

P.s. Sorry, if ive stolen this thread but we are on the same topic

 

[Erichalfbee]

Aggressive bees do not readily accept a new queen. I am re-queening a hot hive by making a nuc for her, letting it grow a little then uniting it to the bigger hive. I would not risk it otherwise.
If you do want to risk just putting a new queen in then according to the experts (Mike Palmer and Pete Little spring to mind) you can just pop her in. She is a laying queen so should be accepted as soon as you have dealt with the original queen. Me.....I might try that with a queen I don't mind losing.

 

[Anduril]

Sorry, not sure what you mean.

I was thinking of poping the nucleus queen into a cage with candy and then squish the aggressive hives queen and pop the queen with cage in. This will then leave me with a queen right nucleus colony and queenless nuc, then unite the nucs together with newspaper vertically.

P.s. Sorry, if ive stolen this thread but we are on the same topic

How I read the above is take a queen out of a nuc and cage her and then put her in the aggressive colony after dispatching the aggressive queen. Then using the newspaper method combine the two. If so you have over complicated the technique.

 

[DerbyBee]

How I read the above is take a queen out of a nuc and cage her and then put her in the aggressive colony after dispatching the aggressive queen. Then using the newspaper method combine the two. If so you have over complicated the technique.

Sorry, maybe not made myself clear.

I have one aggressive hive and two ok nucs. Make one nuc queenless by using HM to replace the aggressive colony queen then unite the two nucs.

 

[drex]

Finding the queen in aggressive colony can be made easier by moving the colony , leaving supers on original site. Flyers leave the colony and return to original site. It is these flyers that are the main aggressors. Once queen is removed, move hive back. The safest way To introduce queen is then to unite with queen right nuc. That way the queen is surrounded by her own bees and the aggressors get to meet her slowly. If you want to boost your other nuc, you only need to use a couple of frames ( one containing queen) for the unite.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Finding the queen in aggressive colony can be made easier by moving the colony , leaving supers on original site. Flyers leave the colony and return to original site. It is these flyers that are the main aggressors. Once queen is removed, move hive back. The safest way To introduce queen is then to unite with queen right nuc. That way the queen is surrounded by her own bees and the aggressors get to meet her slowly. If you want to boost your other nuc, you only need to use a couple of frames ( one containing queen) for the unite.

I agree with the suggested method of finding the aggressive hive queen although there are others. Then return the brood box to original site. Using an adapter board and newspaper unite with one of the queenright nucs.
The other nuc which is also queen right still has time to grow unaided but if it does need a boost add a frame (if space permits) of just emerging brood after brushing off bees. You might need to transfer this boosted colony into a bigger box if room is short.
If you take the emerging brood frame from the aggressive colony there is a risk of aggressive bees for the lifetime of those emerging bees.

 

[Erichalfbee]

How I read the above is take a queen out of a nuc and cage her and then put her in the aggressive colony after dispatching the aggressive queen. Then using the newspaper method combine the two. If so you have over complicated the technique.

No it's the nucs that are being united after taking one queen out and putting her into the aggressive hive. That's why I said it would be better to re queen the hive by uniting to one of the queenright nucs

 

[Anduril]

No it's the nucs that are being united after taking one queen out and putting her into the aggressive hive. That's why I said it would be better to re queen the hive by uniting to one of the queenright nucs

That's the safest way for the queen.

 

[Vortex]

In regard to uniting the nucs...
Make up some 1:4 (sugar:water) solution and put it in a hand sprayer of some description.
Open the recipient Nuc .. spray bees and frames liberally with sugar water.
Open the donor nuc .. spray bees and frames liberally with sugar water.
Unite nucs....

simplez...

 

[REDWOOD]

Just use air freshener

 

[enrico]

Just use air freshener

Use it all the time, one squirt in both box's put all the frames in a brood box, one more squirt across the top of the brood box and bobs your uncle. Done
E

 

[popcornpie]

We used the flour method this morning to unite the nucs and it went very smoothly. Just sprinkled flour over each frame and put them into a brood box alternating between the nucs. So far no dead bees and they settled down quickly.
Thanks for the help.

 

[Erichalfbee]

We used the flour method this morning to unite the nucs and it went very smoothly. Just sprinkled flour over each frame and put them into a brood box alternating between the nucs. So far no dead bees and they settled down quickly.
Thanks for the help.

You'll have to let us know how the queen you moved gets on.