Question On Combining Two Hives

Started by simmonds, May 29, 2012, 06:39:38 PM

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simmonds

May 29, 2012, 06:39:38 PM
Julie and I combined one of our large yet queenless colonies yesterday with a small cutout colony we removed last Sunday.  We placed the new smaller hive on top of the other using the newspaper separator method with a few slits cut in it.  How long does it typically take the hives to chew through and accept each other becoming one hive and when may I finally see pollen coming in to hive. :)

Thanks,
Chris

hardwood

#1
May 29, 2012, 06:41:20 PM
It depends on the bees and population. It can happen as soon as a couple of hrs. Usually over in two days or so.

Scott
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

simmonds

#2
May 29, 2012, 06:48:39 PM
Quote from: hardwood on May 29, 2012, 06:41:20 PM
It depends on the bees and population. It can happen as soon as a couple of hrs. Usually over in two days or so.

Scott

Thanks Scott!  Glad to know it will probably be quicker than the "week or so" the books mention.  I really want this nice Alder Street hive to have a queen and take off like my other hives.  They are a very gentle bee and the cutout was not a pretty one or particularly easy on them.

BeeMaster2

#3
May 29, 2012, 11:21:42 PM
The First time that I did it, I left it on for 4 days before checking. The top deep hive was heavy so I lifted it and ask my buddy Jim what it looked like. He said it was gone. I didn't believe him and had him lift it, sure enough, there wasn't a sign of it inside of the hive. The bottom oil tray looked like I had filled it full of cellulose insulation. Only the paper on the outside of the hive was left.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

oregonbeeman

#4
May 31, 2012, 10:33:42 PM
I usually figure a day or so. It doesn't take them long.

howardaj31

#5
June 01, 2012, 12:12:49 AM
I did two combinations a few weeks ago.  It was my first attempt and both were very successful!  I used the newspaper, but I double layered it and sprayed each layer with sugar water.  By the next morning, the bees were very busy carrying paper dust out of their hive and both hives have just exploded!
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