[ForrestB]

One of my splits got robbed out, not a drop of honey left, maybe two frames of bees left, no queen that I could find... so I decided to combine with another young colony that is doing well...

I put two sheets of newspaper down, added a box, put the bees though a shaker box in case there was indeed a queen, put the empty combs in the box over the newspaper. A bit of smoke to push them through the excluder in the shaker box, left them for an hour....

When I came back and pulled the shaker box off, it seemed there weren't many bees on the comb in the box above the newspaper.

Well, it turns out there was a hole in the crease I didn't see and the bees (the few who were left) were marching straight through it into the stronger nuc below.

There were so few left above that I said screw it, what's done is done, I pulled the box and newspaper, and when I looked below, on a couple foundationless frames there were a lot of bees festooning, right where the crease had been. Those frames had been unoccupied when I put the newspaper down...

Is there any chance this WON'T turn into a disaster? Is it written in stone that the host colony will try to throw them out/ fight with them? They came from a robbed out hive and weren't returning from foraging, so they had nothing to offer in exchange for accomodations.... I am worried that despite my mild optimism when I saw them festooning on empty frames, there is going to be a massacre in what was nicely developing hive....

Sometimes this hobby seems like one step forward, two backwards...

 

[Colobee]

If they aren't rioting already, chances are fair they won't. Sprinkle some syrup around and by the time they get done lapping and exchanging scent, there usually isn't more than a little bickering. Be careful not to drown them - I give them a little surup, and watch for a minute, then maybe more if it's "gone in 60..."

 

[agastache]

I did the same thing earlier this year--the "slits" I cut in the newspaper ended up more like holes. it all worked out fine for me. no fighting, no excess dead bees. hope yours are fine too.

 

[drlonzo]

Calm down, take a breath, and don't worry so much. Nothing is written in stone. Actually think about it this way, If you create a NUC from several hives, Do the bees "Fight" when you put them into the box together. NO they normally don't. For the most part, once a colony has become queenless and they have figured it out, they will go into a queenright hive willingly and happily. As for the recieving colony, as long as they aren't coming through the front door, they don't really require the begging action as it's the guard bees that have to be begged into letting them in.

So in this case, don't worry so much. I make up nuc's all the time taking brood/bees from many colonies. They don't fight.

 

[ForrestB]

You guys have just brought my heart rate down to under 200. :lpf:

Thanks!

 

[ForrestB]

Calm down, take a breath, and don't worry so much. Nothing is written in stone. Actually think about it this way, If you create a NUC from several hives, Do the bees "Fight" when you put them into the box together. NO they normally don't.

This was a line of logic that I had tried to use on myself, but until I could hear it from other, more experienced people, it wasn't totally working, lol.

Thanks again, I feel so much better now. I am really grateful.

 

[Wolfer]

I combine without newspaper on a regular basis. As a matter of fact the only time I use paper is when combining a strong queen less hive with a very small queen right hive.

I don't believe bees can be deceiving. If they show up with evil intentions there will be a fight. If you shake them out in front of another hive they will go in with no problems.

Woody Roberts

 

[Riverderwent]

Is there any chance this WON'T turn into a disaster? Is it written in stone that the host colony will try to throw them out/ fight with them? They came from a robbed out hive and weren't returning from foraging, so they had nothing to offer in exchange for accomodations.... I am worried that despite my mild optimism when I saw them festooning on empty frames, there is going to be a massacre in what was nicely developing hive....

Sometimes this hobby seems like one step forward, two backwards...

You're sunk. (Just kidding.) Congratulations, it worked.

 

[beepro]

Yes, life is just like that 1 back and 2 forward and then you can fly.
As long as they are grouping up the other hive will not invade them. If they are scattered
then there is a chance of fighting. I would put a jar of syrup on top so they have something to
share when they intermingle with the other hive, eventually. Feed them like crazy!

 

[ForrestB]

Yes, life is just like that 1 back and 2 forward and then you can fly.
As long as they are grouping up the other hive will not invade them. If they are scattered
then there is a chance of fighting. I would put a jar of syrup on top so they have something to
share when they intermingle with the other hive, eventually. Feed them like crazy!

Yes, I put a feeder on after Colobee suggested sprinkling them, though I just put a feeder on and topped it off with 1:1... figured like you say, something to take the edge off, I checked again before sundown, didn't see any fighting at the entrance or any (new) dead bees on the ground, no evidence anything was wrong.... maybe I got lucky!