[Salesi]

Is there a best way to introduce bees from a trap out to an existing hive. Let's say you vacuum up a bunch of bees from a trap out. Rather than wait to see if you can ever get the queen out of the trap out, you want to put these bees into an existing hive. Would smoking both the hive and the new bees help the introduction and acceptable by the existing hive of the new bees? Would you put an empty brood box on top of the existing hive with newspaper separating them and put the new bees in the empty brood box and put the lid on? Kind of like a combine of two hives. I am trying to figure out the best way to do this with minimum dead bees. Thanks for anyone's help.

 

[BeePappy]

I don't know the answer, but have the same situation. I'll watch this thread for suggestions. My thought was what you had mentioned, doing a "newspaper" combine, putting a box on top of existing hive. I have a small swarm hived in a single deep, and could add this even smaller cut out collection of bees, some brood, and honey to the swarm hive. No queen in the cut out colony. I can't think of any reason why that wouldn't work. But I'd rather have a confirmation.

 

[JWChesnut]

A double screen board (Snelgrove board) is ideal in these situations. Allows the upper box to get organized, allows periodic additions to the box as stragglers , allows an inspection for queenright or Queen Cell construction to happen at an appropriate time (removal day + 4). If you want to combine you may remove the board and go with paper (or nothing scents have blended) at that time, or flip the board and draw the upper bees down. If you go with a two hives strategy, you can use the board to balance foragers and nurse bees before separating the joint stack.

My double screen board doesn't have fancy doors, but is simply a modified inner cover with entrances on opposite sides at opposite ends. You physically flip the board over to change the escape from the upper to lower stack. Not quite as elegant as the ones with 8 trap doors, but gets the job done.

 

[John R C]

Dump them on the ground about 2' from the hive at dusk and they'll take up residence with your bees. I haven't noticed any fighting doing this.

 

[Groem]

My wife helped with a cut out and came home with a couple hundred bees and some comb. After a day with them not leaving the box I put the box next to a nuc I wanted to strengthen. Basicly covered the entrance with the cardboard box so they all had to fly up and away. Right away I could see the newcomers feeding the nuc bees. They then spent a day or two getting the nectar out of the combs and I took the box and comb away.

 

[hideawayranch]

I have a 2 1/2 year old hive that has gone queenless. I have a nuc with a great little queen. What is the best way to combine the two. The queenless hive has been so for a while, no eggs, no brood.

 

[Saltybee]

Most common; newspaper.
Safest; double screen or single for a few days.
Attached bottom on nuc? If not just put it on the inner cover.
If they are not LWs, pretty receptive.

 

[cwood6_10]

I have done about 11 cut outs this year and if I can't get the queen, which is about 50-50, i do a paper combine. I just open the lid, slap some paper down, cut a few slits, and add a box with all the new bees!! It has made for a huge boost in the production of the hives. I have tried to get them to make their own queens in the past but they build so slow and usually get a little hot for a few days. My hives are hotter hives than normal so if this method works for me then it should work for you. Watch the bees from your extraction and make sure they aren't sick. I have ran into that a couple times over the year but not very often. If they were good in the "wall" they will probably be good in the hive. I have had a 100% succeeds rate on cut outs this year. I have added 7 hives just on those.