When to unite colonies ready for the heather flow?

[danro]

Hi All

This year both of my colonies have been artificially swarmed, giving me 4, but I would like to take a REALLY strong colony to the heather in the New Forest, (I have friends with a farm there)
I expect it to move them towards the end of this month.

I know I can unite two colonies but wondered when I should do it - how long before "the move".
Are we talking days, weeks or NOW?

...and do you always keep the youngest Queen?

Thanks everyone.

 

[oliver90owner]

One colony you say? four to start with (or is it 5 per your profile?)

You need not lose any queens, if you were to combine, say, three colonies to make your one really strong one, retaining the other two queens in nucs?

RAB

 

[danro]

Ha ha!!
Sorry RAB I was unclear

I'm planning on taking just one colony (the result of uniting two) to the New Forest.. and leaving the rest where they are, as they have only just been ASed.

However, I do REALLY like the idea of moving her highness off to a nuc... That sounds great.
Some guidance on how to do that would be superb!!

(the 5th colony is my lill' cast I "caught" on top of my flat roof at home - I don't expect that to produce anything other than bees this year, but it is doing just fine!)

Cheers

Danny

 

[Poly Hive]

Do it now.

Move well before the infamous 12th. In the past I would be moving now.

Nuc your queen before you unite, find her and put the comb she is on plus two others of brood, so 3 brood combs, plus another frame shook in if the brood frames are a bit light in bees and let them get on with it.

PH