MillerThousand AnswersBeekeepingQuestions.pdf - BioBees

THOUSAND ANSWERS 259let a bee through, and for some time there will be passage foronly one bee at a time. In the meantime the two lots of bees aregetting the same scent, ready to unite peaceably. At any rate,I've had one lot of bees killed when there was no paper between,and I'm not sure I ever had fighting when the paper was used.Q. I have SO colonies of bees in dovetailed hives, and want tokeep but 25, spring count. How and when can I double them up?what should I do to keep the frames of larvae and honey? Andhow may I keep the frames of comb during the waiter?A. Better wait till next spring to unite. If you unite this fall,there may be some casualties in winter, and you would not thenhave your 25 in spring. Even if you are sure of no winter lossesin your mild climate, there are advantages in waiting till spring.There will be no question about care of combs through the winter,and by doubling SO full colonies in the spring you are likely tohave 25 stronger colonies than if the doubling were done in thefall; and 25 very strong colonies will take no more care than 25weaker ones, and will store more surplus.Uniting Swarms.—Q. Is it better to unite two swarms andmake one big swarm out of two? And will I get more honeyfrom one big swarm than I would get from two small ones?A. You will be more likely to get more honey from uniting.In places where a strong flow continues very late, more honeymay be had from the two kept separate.Q. I would like to know the best way to double swarms up.If they both come out the same day, or a day or two apart, shouldI put the old colony on top of the new swarm? Should I takethe bottom out of the top hive, or how can I get them together?A. If they are only a day or two apart, the easiest way is tohive the second one in the same hive as the first, just as if thehive were empty.Q. When hiving two swarms should I sprinkle or smoke themto make them go in the entrance?A. If you dump them at the entrance they will enter of theirown accord, without smoke or sprinkling.Q. What is the best way to unite a swarm direct from thetree with a weak colony? I have just shaken it in front of thehive, but many of the bees were killed at the entrance of the hive.A. Perhaps if you had shaken the bees off the combs at theentrance, so that the two lots of bees would run in together, therewould have been less trouble. If one lot has an old queen andthe other a virgin, they 'do not unite so well.