combining question

[garyl]

I may need to combine weak hives. I want to take one with a good brood thing happing with a couple that are queenless (will look aging in a week to make sure). I'm looking at moving about 10 feet, and change from looking north to looking east. How not to get them too confused? Today, I splashed a bit of purple paint on what I intend to be the home hive, and think to give them a couple of days to home in on that visual vs. just the spatial location in a row of white hives they have had. Then, do the combine at dusk after the bees are in for the night?

[Michael Bush]

First move them the 10 feet without changing the direction and then after they settle into that change the direction.

Or change the direction first without changing the location and let them settle into that first.

That's what I'd do. Also, everytime you make a change, put a branch in front of the entrance for a couple of days to make they stop and pay attentenion. After a couple of days remove it. Then make your next change and put it back again.

[Michael Bush]

I'd get them next door first and then I'd do the combine in the afternoon when they are in a good mood.