Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Pond Creek Farm on September 12, 2008, 06:14:59 PM

Title: Newspaper Combine Question
Post by: Pond Creek Farm on September 12, 2008, 06:14:59 PM
Combining two smaller hives this (or maybe tomorrow morning).  How many sheets thick should the newspaper separating the two boxes be?  Should I make sure the paper sticks out the sides so that the bees cannot come around the edges?
Title: Re: Newspaper Combine Question
Post by: randydrivesabus on September 12, 2008, 06:25:54 PM
when i did that i used one sheet of newspaper and i just laid it over the top bars of one hive and slitted it a little with my hive tool and then put the other hive on top. so the newspaper was bigger than the hives and i had a newspaper fringe around the outside of the hive. the bees neatly cut off the newspaper at the inside edges of the hive bodies.
Title: Re: Newspaper Combine Question
Post by: TwT on September 12, 2008, 06:51:25 PM
Quote from: randydrivesabus on September 12, 2008, 06:25:54 PM
when i did that i used one sheet of newspaper and i just laid it over the top bars of one hive and slitted it a little with my hive tool and then put the other hive on top. so the newspaper was bigger than the hives and i had a newspaper fringe around the outside of the hive. the bees neatly cut off the newspaper at the inside edges of the hive bodies.

I 2nd that above, about 3 slits will work.
Title: Re: Newspaper Combine Question
Post by: bassman1977 on September 12, 2008, 07:09:43 PM
I typically do 1 or 2 sheets.  No slits.  They combine is usually done after 24 hours.
Title: Re: Newspaper Combine Question
Post by: Michael Bush on September 12, 2008, 08:59:44 PM
1 sheet.

Usually I make at least one small slit.  Sometimes I don't.  The hotter the weather the more likely I'll make a slit.
Title: Re: Newspaper Combine Question
Post by: Kathyp on September 12, 2008, 11:38:48 PM
one sheet for me.  if it's hot you might want to give them an upper entrance.  you don't want them to cook before they chew through.