combine

[tryintolearn]

i did a combine with a weak hive combining with my strongest hive...i used one sheet of newspaper between the two ...shook some sugar water into deeps and on paper....went out next day and looked like a war zone....fighting dead bees everywhere....i didn't find the queen in the weaker hive b4 i combined them...i opened them up and they had already eaten thru the paper...shud i have used several sheets or just the one?

[Kathyp]

if you got sugar water on the paper, they probably went though it pretty quickly.  did you leave an upper entrance for the top box?  Also, did one hive have stores and the other not?  they might have just started robbing rather than combining.

i prefer to use an old window screen, or window screening.  you can leave it for a couple of days and the scent mixes without the bees mixing.  it means an extra step in removing the screen, but it seems to work well for me. 

[Hemlock]

I wonder if puting syrup in there caused everyone to go into robbing mode instead of combining mode.

Never have added syrup during a combine.  Always use 1 sheet of paper.  Sometimes i put a slit in it sometimes i don't.  Bees always get along.  Takes a day or two.

[johnnybigfish]

Ive only stuck one page of paper in there when I do it...But, I dont spray any syrup tho..Ive had some fighting but most the time it works good..At first, when I started bees, I was having to combine...I'm terrible at finding queens so I would let the queens settle the differences :)
your friend,
john

[iddee]

The sugar water was the catalyst.

[tryintolearn]

I'm thinking the sugarwater was the problem...got the paper wet I'm sure...anyway,  yesterday i placed an empty deep over the hive and put a bottom board feeder on the inside...i was out in yard a while later and looked like robbing was going on..fighting...bees darting everywhere.  i closed it up with the robbing screen left till this morning...would it be ok to leave them locked in till the water is eaten?  i did that b4 and within 8 hours without robbing screen i had a mess of dead bees...this hive has suffered because of my mistakes looks like...hoping it can survive the winter..would a cpl of days locked inside harm them further?

[iddee]

Quit feeding liquid. If they need feed, feed solid or combine.

[rober]

if the weak hive was queen-right that did not help either. i would not let the queens fight it out. if the hive was week because of the queen & she happened to win you'd end up with another weak hive. this might have been a good place for using a double screen.

[tryintolearn]

   idee   solid????  tell me more

[iddee]

Candy board, fondant, mountain camp method, ETC.
Something that doesn't attract robbers nor add moisture to the hive.

[tryintolearn]

iddee do u have recipie for fondant? i ve  seen that b4 but wondering how to make it up...thanks in advance for all u have helped me with so far

[iddee]

I don't myself, but there are hundreds on the net. Just do a search and choose the one you want. I wouldn't add HBH or anything to it this time of year, tho, as many suggest.

[Hemlock]

Iddee,

Are you talking about tossing sugar (whatever form) on a hive in the middle of a combine? 

[iddee]

NO. I am talking about feeding after the combine, when it is too cold to feed liquid.

[Hemlock]

Thanks.  That's what i thought but wasn't sure.  Pardon my addled thoughts.