Feeding following a unite

[Ginger19]

Firstly to put you in the picture...Been farting around with an aggressive hive for a few months now, first they balled the Buckfast that I tried to re queen with, didn't leave them queenless for long enough is my guess?

With what few eggs Q left, they hatched a queen - but that didn't get mated and became a drone layer, got rid of her about 10 days ago, to be sure added a test frame and from that they seem queenless. So I have united them with a nuc I have with a first year queen, that colony is quite small, on 4 frames or so which I have on top of the hive over newspaper in a dummied down BB.

My concern, (apart from that this is last chance saloon), is that they need feeding - very low on stores and back end approaching fast up here. Here is the question, what response will adding a feeder bring? Will it result in a frenzy and possible problems with unite or is it likely to help them combine. I really wanted to leave well alone for over a week, but would sooner feed now.

Unite was started Sunday evening, I didn't prick the paper but there was sign of paper on the floor today, but not yesterday.

Thanks in advance.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Sounds like unite is done then - sort out the brood box then feed is my view

 

[enrico]

Agreed, if you have seen paper they are as one.....feed if they need it.
E

 

[sharonh]

Hope it works out ok & I would go ahead with feed once you have sorted out brood boxes.

 

[richardbees]

You're in luck -If there are paper scraps it's worked

Now you have to take the top BB off. put alongside the original BB and remove 4 frames from the original BB and replace with the 4 frames from the top BB.

Pick the soonest +14C day with no wind, use your smoker and be very careful as the Queen is in there somewhere.

Once you've united down to the single BB you start feeding.

Good luck, richard

 

[Hivemaker.]

You're in luck -If there are paper scraps it's worked

How can you tell from on here, they may of united, killed the queen and have emergency queen cells by now.

 

[richardbees]

BA

What do you suggest?

Either way they now won't get into a 'dogfight' and he still needs to unite into a single BB.

 

[Ginger19]

Thanks for the replies. The first reasonable looking weather is on Saturday - so will leave until then to rearrange, but will stick something on a feed hole tomorrow. The 4 frames to move down will no doubt indicate if things went well.

 

[richardbees]

from that they seem queenless.

Ginger

By that do you mean they started emergency Q cells?

If so I do hope you removed them before uniting!!!!

 

[Ginger19]

Yes Rich, pulled them down - plus the one they cobbled together a few days later.

 

[richardbees]

pulled them down - plus the one they cobbled together a few days later.

You should be ok then..... can't think of any other reason why Hivemaker was so dismissive.

Good luck and be careful of the queen

 

[Ginger19]

Well, did the deed today. Seems ok, Spotted Q - moved the 4 frames down, stuck a feeder on. Hope for better temperament come spring!!
Despite being mostly queenless for at least 2 months they remain my biggest colony, covering brood and half. My guess is that they have been underworked for that period? I would have expected them to be on there knees on numbers, maybe that stage is to come...

 

[itma]

Q yes good, but worker brood? (That's also what you need to be seeing.)


Cumbria. October. Altitude? Cold for feeding?
*IF* they are still short of stores, give commercial bee invert syrup - which they can take and store later and faster - and use insulation around and above the feeder (to keep it warm and thus easier/more attractive to the bees).

 

[richardbees]

Spotted Q

Excellent!

Not much else you can do now.