Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Kev on July 11, 2007, 04:44:40 PM

Title: combining colonies
Post by: Kev on July 11, 2007, 04:44:40 PM
Hi folks,

I recently combined two colonies to get 1 queen-right. When can I take out the newspaper between the two hive bodies?

Kev
Title: Re: combining colonies
Post by: doak on July 11, 2007, 05:05:55 PM
They will chew most of it out. Next time ( in a week or two), when you check them again may have to clean up some stray stuff.
doak
Title: Re: combining colonies
Post by: JP on July 12, 2007, 09:27:28 PM
Like Doak said, don't worry about the newspaper you can clean it up whenever, its not critical or even necessary.
Title: Re: combining colonies
Post by: Moonshae on July 12, 2007, 10:57:46 PM
Just trim away what is hanging out on the outside, if you didn't do that initially.
Title: Re: combining colonies
Post by: imabkpr on July 13, 2007, 07:34:30 AM
There is no need to use newspaper or anything else when joining a drone layer with a queenright colony. Just do it. Check them in 10 days, decide then whats the best thing to do---split,or leave them alone. Do whatever your area dictates.    Charlie
Title: Re: combining colonies
Post by: Holycow on July 13, 2007, 07:50:01 PM
For me they always get thru the newspaper within 48 hours. Not 100% of the paper being gone, but plenty of places where its obvious bees are moving back and forth.
Title: Re: combining colonies
Post by: Kev on July 16, 2007, 08:17:25 PM
Thanks all, I checked and they did chew through in large places. I'll pull the rest out later.

Kev