View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
stevebuzz House Bee
Joined: 31 Jul 2014 Posts: 20 Location: Flitwick Bedfordshire UK
|
Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2015 9:40 pm Post subject: Paper uniting entrance arrangment |
|
|
Hi all hope your beekeeping year is going well.
I will be uniting colonies that currently occupy the same TBH's. I will be moving the bars up together with a modified paper infill follower, I am okay with that part, my question is currently each colony has it's own entrance one at each end, is it best to leave both entrances open with paper divide in place, and maybe not achieve the unit or close one entrance after flying is over for the day, and force the uniting. If the closed entrance is the best option, should the one remaining queen be the one that's entrance dose not change. I guess the change and confusion will make the bee's that lost their entrance reorient themselves to the new, to them entrance.
Regards
Steve. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
AugustC Silver Bee

Joined: 08 Jul 2013 Posts: 613 Location: Malton, North Yorkshire
|
Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2015 11:20 am Post subject: |
|
|
I would leave the entrances where they are until they have been united. I would then retain the entrance at the end where the reigning queen resides.
The bees tend to keep their brood nest at the end where the entrance is.
How many combs are there at each end and do the combs transition to honey comb?
If there are a number of honey combs for each colony and this is the point at which you are uniting it is possible that they may retain two queens. The queen will not usually cross the honey barrier and if you are deal with a hive of ?30 top bars there may well be enough room for them both. If this does occur each queen would retain a brood nest at their end of the hive and the bars in the middle would become the honey storage. You may well need to super the middle as a two queen system could be quite productive. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
stevebuzz House Bee
Joined: 31 Jul 2014 Posts: 20 Location: Flitwick Bedfordshire UK
|
Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2015 12:02 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Due to collecting swarms into double figures over the last two months, I have run out of boxes, I have three TBH's with one and two swarms the other end to the main colony, I have evaluated which queens to keep, so will leave them with the main entrance. If I leave the entrances open, I guess I will know within a day or two if they are one happy family and can then close up leaving the main entrance with, as you say the reigning queen. I don't fancy the two queen route, I have 34 TB to play with so will rearrange them when all's settled down.
Steve. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
Quality Top Bar Hives by Andrew Vidler
|
Conserving wild bees
Research suggests that bumble bee boxes have a very low success rate in actually attracting bees into them. We find that if you create an environment where first of all you can attract mice inside, such as a pile of stones, a drystone wall, paving slabs with intentionally made cavities underneath, this will increase the success rate.
Most bumble bee species need a dry space about the size a football, with a narrow entrance tunnel approximately 2cm in diameter and 20 cm long. Most species nest underground along the base of a linear feature such as a hedge or wall. Sites need to be sheltered and out of direct sunlight.
There is a spectacular display of wild bee hotels here
More about bumblebees and solitary bees here
Information about the Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum)
|
|
Barefoot Beekeeper Podcast
|
|
|
|
4th Edition paperback now available from Lulu.com
|
site map
php. BB © 2001, 2005 php. BB Group
View topic - Paper uniting entrance arrangment - Natural Beekeeping Network Forum
|
|