uniting

[peteinwilts]

Hi Guys

I will be uniting three colonys in the next couple of days. One is hive is about 8 feet from another, and the third is in a different Apiary about 1/4 of a mile away.

I presume the 3 feet, 3 mile still applies when uniting!?!

Cheers
Pete

 

[CliffDale]

I've got the exact same problem. If you unite a hive 8' away, will the bees just fly back to the original hive?

I dont know the answet and looking forward to replies!
Cliff

 

[Mike a]

If you use the newspaper method it shouldn't matter to all those inside, for those out on forage runs they will be confused when they return so it may be worth putting the combined hive in the middle of where the two were sited to mop up both sets of foragers.

As for the third colony at the other apiary site are you combining them with the other two so all three will be merged into one?

 

[peteinwilts]

yup... 3 to one... The third has a queen and is building strongly. The other two are very weak.

 

[beebreeder]

Are they disease free, the weak colonies that is?
kev

 

[Mike a]

yup... 3 to one... The third has a queen and is building strongly. The other two are very weak.

Wondering if merging 3 into 1 would be wise all on the same day. Would it be feasible to just merge the two weaker colonies to start with then combine them with your strong hive in a week or so?

 

[peteinwilts]

i thought uniting three was always advisable over uniting two?

 

[Mike a]

i thought uniting three was always advisable over uniting two?

Never tried it myself or know any one else to merge 3 into 1.
My biggest concern would be possible disease transfer or nosema, which is why I would go for combining the two weaker colonies first and if they were fine then combine them with your strong hive a week or so later.