newspaper combine question

Wits End · July 18, 2011, 03:27:25 PM

Did my first newspaper combine this morning and was wondering how long it usually takes the bees to chew through and combine. I used a small pin knife to put about a dozen holes (just the small knife blade) in the paper before adding the queenless box on top. Any ball park figures?
Thanks

FRAMEshift · July 18, 2011, 04:05:22 PM

There is no magic moment when they are combined. You have already started the process. They will gradually mix more and more and gradually remove paper. You would be safe in totally removing the paper in a couple of days. The truth is, unless I'm combining two large hives, which I almost never do, I would not bother with the paper. Just spray on a little vanilla and put the frames in the same hive....

but I would not intermix frames immediately or put the new frames next to the queen in the old hive. You don't have to go looking for trouble. :-D

Kathyp · July 18, 2011, 04:18:26 PM

be sure you have left an upper entrance for the top box. cooked/suffocated bees are not good.

they are usually ok in 24 hours or so. there may be a bit of fighting, but it shouldn't be much.

Askrub · July 18, 2011, 05:07:19 PM

I made a newspaper combine about 5 weeks ago. The paper was gone in 24 hours. All that was left was what looked like a paper hive gasket.

Wits End · July 18, 2011, 07:55:35 PM

Thanks. I didn't realize it would be that quick. I have an inner and outer cover on the top so they have an exit up top too.

Wits End · July 21, 2011, 08:50:56 PM

Yep! I peeped in the top box after 48 hours or so and there is no newspaper left. Where did it go? Is it all in the bottom of the hive? I keep entrance reducers on so I may have to check this weekend and see if the bottom board needs to be cleaned off.

CapnChkn · July 22, 2011, 03:32:26 PM

One of my favorite things is to watch the undertaker bees. I see one wrestling with a large thing on the concrete, and worry I have some robbing going on. Next I notice the large thing isn't moving, so sigh relief, and watch as the bee struggles across 3 or 4 feet, finally gets a grip, and flies of into the barnyard.

How they get that body, the same size and relative weight, up that high in the air, then fly off until they can't be seen fascinates me. They do the same with your newspaper and any other trash they don't want there.

skatesailor · July 22, 2011, 11:19:37 PM

Its the same with the rubber bands I use doing cutouts. It always amazes me to see a pile of bands outside the hive after a few days. I wish I could see what happens inside when they snap the band.

annette · July 25, 2011, 12:57:01 AM

My friend Shawna did a combine last year with the newspaper and called me up the very next day to tell me there was a pile of shredded paper on the ground in front of the hive. I could not believe they could move that fast removing the paper.

But then again, I did a combine a couple of months ago, and most of the paper remained on the supers into the next week. The bees had shredded just a small amount of the paper and I had to remove the paper myself.

You never know!!

Wits End · July 25, 2011, 08:25:14 AM

Always glad to see that parasol Annette.

annette · July 25, 2011, 07:13:59 PM

Quote from: Wits End on July 25, 2011, 08:25:14 AM
Always glad to see that parasol Annette.

Thanks!!

applebwoi · July 26, 2011, 12:55:56 AM

I've done these many times, usually merging a weak, queenless hive with a weak queenright hive. I usually put a couple of small cuts in the newspaper and they get through in a day or two and usually leave "paperdust" outside the front door. Always seems to work well.

VolunteerK9 · July 26, 2011, 01:23:32 PM

Quote from: Wits End on July 25, 2011, 08:25:14 AM
Always glad to see that parasol Annette.

Crap, are we calling it a parasol again? I can never keep up...so confused...lol

annette · July 27, 2011, 12:19:51 AM

You can call it whatever you want :-D