Thoughts on doing a newspaper combine in the heat...

**Beev** · 06-22-2012, 08:38 PM

I'm in the process of doing a trapout and have a box of queen-less bees with no queen to give them. Can I just do a newspaper combine on a queen-right hive with the temps in the 90's?

**Bradley_Bee** · 06-22-2012, 10:44 PM

I do it all the time in 100 plus weather. poke some holes in the newspaper if your concerned.

**Charlie B** · 06-23-2012, 01:11 AM

If you're concerned about the heat, you can shim the queenless box up in front so they have and entrance while resting on top of the newspaper. Once combined, remove the shims.

**Adrian Quiney WI** · 06-23-2012, 04:37 AM

Charlie, that is a good idea I've not seen elsewhere. I overheated some bees once in a combine after I forgot that the box I was adding didn't have an auger hole.

**AmericasBeekeeper** · 06-23-2012, 05:54 AM

Queenless bees do not have a pheromone in the hive. We slap them together all the time without paper. If you saw the "Dissappearing of the Bees", they were pouring package bees into existing hives. There is no paper. If it works for commercial beekeepers, why do you think it will not work for you?

**David LaFerney** · 06-23-2012, 06:00 AM

It won't interfere with the combine to configure entrances/ventilation above the paper. A lot of my boxes have 1 1/8 holes in them that can be plugged with bottle caps - extremely handy - I wish they all had them.

**hpm08161947** · 06-23-2012, 06:10 AM

The Newspaper is not necessary.

**rwurster** · 06-23-2012, 07:13 AM

I did 4 combines with temps in the 100+ the problem I ran into was that the top entrances got closed so there was a lot of bearding for 3 days, but by the time the bearding was stopping they had made it through the paper. Those hives that didn't make it through the paper I just removed it and all was well. Probably didn't need to use the paper in the first place lol.

**Mike Gillmore** · 06-23-2012, 02:11 PM

If you feel really uncomfortable not using paper, just combine in late evening. Make sure you have plenty of slits cut in the paper. Temperatures will be cooler overnight and they should have openings chewed through the paper by morning.

**Charlie B** · 06-23-2012, 03:22 PM

I also use a double screen bottom board with an entrance that saves cleaning up all the newspaper stuck everywhere. Just remove the bottom board after a day or so.

**Beev** · 06-23-2012, 05:08 PM

Thanks for the input everyone. I have to move the queenright hive this evening. (To another yard) Then will combine tomorrow. Hope I don't mess the girls up too much.

**Ben Brewcat** · 06-24-2012, 10:44 AM

When I do a newspaper combine in high heat I use a ventilation top box (from the plans that Tim Arheit generously offers on his website). Works GREAT. I have definitely had some mortality/morbidity from bees unable to effectively ventilate due to newspaper combine when it's 100+. I keep a few of these boxes around for when I have to revert to an unventilated bottom board also.