combine

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Ron Young
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Location: McLeansville

combine

Post by Ron Young »

Ok, if you combine a queenless hive, with a queenright hive, how long before they calm down? (generally) I combined them about three hours ago, and I still can't go out side with out being buzzed, and took one sting to the face. This could cause me some issues with home-life.

Hope to see a difference by Thursday.
Wally
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Post by Wally »

Bee club meeting is tonight.

They should quieten down overnight.
Ron Young
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Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:34 am
Location: McLeansville

Post by Ron Young »

I am coming. I hope so. These things are brutal. They buzzed me two hundred feet away from the hives when I first combined them. I hope they do not kill the queen in the queen right hive.
:evil: :evil:
Right now, they are evil. My last experience with a queenless hive was nothing compared to this.
Is the meeting at 7 or 6:30?
Wally
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Post by Wally »

Meeting starts at 7. Door will be open by 6:30.
Ron Young
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Posts: 288
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:34 am
Location: McLeansville

Post by Ron Young »

All seems quiet. I can stand near the hives with out getting stung. That is much better.

I will check on them this afternoon, and see if they have completely removed the paper. I combined them with a two story hive, that was just starting to work the second story, which was foundation. I plan on taking all of the old frames that were in the queenless out, and get them ready for new foundation. They are in pretty bad shape, and were going to be replaced this year anyway, had the hive not gone queenless.

I may keep a few for any swarms, then I would have that much of a start, and it would be easy enough to replace a couple of frames.
Ron Young
Guard bee
Posts: 288
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:34 am
Location: McLeansville

Post by Ron Young »

Well, they had chewed through the paper, but the evil little devil bees were all still in the top box, and I do not believe that they knew there was a queen two boxes below them. Learning experience for me, if the second deep is foundation, and you combine a queenless hive into them, they may not combine as quick as if they are right on top of the existing brood nest. I had also stuck a queen excluder on as I wanted rid of the ten frames that hte queenless hive was on, and did not want my queen to move up.

Anyway, I took the mean bees about 125 yards into the woods, opened the box, scattered the frames, and proceeded to shake bees off, load the bee free frames back in the box, and come home.

Hope this does the trick.
Ron Young
Guard bee
Posts: 288
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:34 am
Location: McLeansville

Post by Ron Young »

They seem quieter today, but to be perfectly honest, I really do not want to pop the top to see! :twisted: :evil:
drewgrim
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Post by drewgrim »

what happens to all the bees that you shake off? will they join one of your other hives or will they just find another hive?
Ron Young
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Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:34 am
Location: McLeansville

Post by Ron Young »

I have been told that they will join the other hives. IF THEY BRING THE NASTY ATTITUDE BACK, and corrupt my other hives, I hope they die.
Ron Young
Guard bee
Posts: 288
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:34 am
Location: McLeansville

Post by Ron Young »

All seems quiet on the homefront. I am still not too thrilled at the idea of taking the lid off to be sure. I really do not want to try and harvest honey from this hive.

Time will tell.
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