I did a 3 way split yesterday and queened them a few minutes ago. One hive (queenless) was low on bees so I shook some from super frames of the queenright hive into it. I figured they were all together yesterday so would think they are all family. After shaking in about 5 frames worth I finished up and stopped to watch the hives for a minute. I began seeing a steady stream of bee pairs in a stranglehold rolling down the landing board, slugging each other. This was truly the "Thrilla in Manilla"! Are those bees all just getting kicked out? And does the hive take on a unique phermone odor that quickly, even without a queen?
That's why you want a smoker handy. A few puffs would have straightened all that out.
They are still fighting after an hour. Should I go smoke them?
You should shake the bees in when you do the split, right then.
It doesn't take long for them to recognize any new comers as strangers.
Smoke-um, doak
Haven't tried it my self, but a neighbor has a spray bottle of water & vanilla flavoring, he sprays both old & new bees, claims they all get along fine.
Any body else tried this ?
Bee-Bop
Haven't used Vanilla, but have used plain sugar water.doak
Quote from: Bee-Bop on April 29, 2009, 10:56:49 PM
Haven't tried it my self, but a neighbor has a spray bottle of water & vanilla flavoring, he sprays both old & new bees, claims they all get along fine.
Any body else tried this ?
Bee-Bop
This is true when combining bees from 2 different hives. Even combining races of bees can cause a knock down drag out so a masking agent helps. Vanilla is a very good one.
You can mix brood frames from several hives together when making splits without incident but when it is limited to 2 hives and you shake bees from one into the other or togethe into a split the bees will fight unless a masking agent, a strong one, which vanilla is, is used.
Quote from: Brian D. Bray on April 30, 2009, 01:44:05 AM
Quote from: Bee-Bop on April 29, 2009, 10:56:49 PM
Haven't tried it my self, but a neighbor has a spray bottle of water & vanilla flavoring, he sprays both old & new bees, claims they all get along fine.
Any body else tried this ?
Bee-Bop
This is true when combining bees from 2 different hives. Even combining races of bees can cause a knock down drag out so a masking agent helps. Vanilla is a very good one.
You can mix brood frames from several hives together when making splits without incident but when it is limited to 2 hives and you shake bees from one into the other or togethe into a split the bees will fight unless a masking agent, a strong one, which vanilla is, is used.
Thanks folks. Good to know. I probably will relocate some more bees this weekend when I check queens if this morning's traffic is any indication of out of balance proportions and will try the vanilla. How much vanilla? And just mist them a bit right on the frame I pull?
Vanilla extract is potent stuff I use about 1/4 of a teaspoon in a quart of 1:1 syrup when I spray the bees. I still use the smoker too.