Need help for newbie merging hives with a twist...

Pilgrim · April 19, 2008, 10:48:56 AM

OK, I've read the material on merging hives with the newspaper between them. Here's my particular problem. I just started with 3 new hives. I lost one of the queens and new queens don't seem to be available in my area until after the spring nectar flow. I've been advised to merge the hive without a queen to a hive with a queen by putting the queenless hive on top with newspaper and a slit in it.
Then, in about 3 to 4 weeks when I get a queen in I will take the top deep hive off and requeen it.
Here's my question. Do I need to put a queen divider between the two deep hives to make sure the current queen stays in the bottom hive? Wouldn't this be important so I don't transfer the current queen if she happens to be in the top hive when I later separate them to requeen the top hive? Does this make sense? Please help!
Pilgrim

JP · April 19, 2008, 10:58:07 AM

Yes, you could do it that way.

...JP

Cindi · April 19, 2008, 12:08:09 PM

Pilgrim, welcome to our forum. This is the place where you will have your questions answered, you are already beginning to see this. If you so chose and have time, tell us more about yourself. We are a curious bunch and love to hear what new members are up to. Stick around, you will make some good friends here, and you will love your time spent here.

Using the newspaper method is an excellent way of uniting two colonies. You have concern about the queen from the united colony moving up. Personally, I would allow her to move up without using an excluder. She will lay eggs in that second chamber and that can be a powerful building up too. If she is not permitted to move up, she will be only laying eggs in that lower chamber.

When the time comes to requeen the colony, there is not reason why you could not look for this queen, find her, confine her, or whatever and then move the top box that would be full of bees and brood, without that queen and then give this box a new queen. That is what I would do. Each beekeeper will give you a different responses to questions, some may corroborate what the other says. That is your job, to figure out which one makes the most sense and take that ball and run with it.

Anyways, again, welcome to our forum. Keep asking questions, you will get all your questions answered, and never think that any question is dumb or does not deserve a great answer. Have the most wonderful and great day, Cindi

Michael Bush · April 19, 2008, 02:56:22 PM

Acutally, I think you WANT the queen to lay in both boxes, so the split will have brood.

Pilgrim · April 19, 2008, 05:22:20 PM

Thanks for the comments. I guess I just totally lack the confidence I will be able to find the queen when it comes time to separating the two again and requeening. OK, I'll try to screw up more courage and think positive! With such a great group of folks online as you, I could probably even find a way to live videoconference and get ya'll to help me find her!!! ; )
About me...52 year old Dad of four: 3 boys, 24, 20, 19, and my only girl, 19. And NO, she's not spoiled. In fact she was sighting in the Mini-14 with me last evening. We have a fox that has been living well off our chicken coop for the past 6 plus months. I actually got a shot off this morning, but I guess I'm just no dead eye dick with a moving fox at 60 yards. So, I tested the shot pattern of my 12 gauge with magnum Turkey shot. Wow that hurts! But the pattern is great and the fox's days are numbered.
We live in southside VA on about 9 acres. Have goats, chickens, guineas, geese, Golden Retrievers we breed occasionaly and now BEES. I've been moving toward the bees for a year and finally got the 3 hives started last Saturday. My wife has homeschooled all the children, and now we have only the daughter to go.
Thanks for making me welcoming me. Zunibee told me about the forum. I'll try to contribute!

JP · April 19, 2008, 08:25:05 PM

3 boys, 1 girl, and she ain't spoiled. She better be!!!!

I know she probably is, cause I don't believe you. :-D

...JP

Cindi · April 20, 2008, 01:15:48 AM

Pilgrim, you may surprise yourself. Look for pictures of the queen in our forum, or even go on the internet. She is very different looking than the worker bees and drones, you will see that when you look at some pictures. I don't think that you will have a hard time recognizing her when you look for her. Nice for you to tell us a little bit about you and yours, lovely. Have a beautiful, great day lovin' this life we live. Cindi