Newspaper combine

[Occam]

A beek friend of mine had two swarm traps occupied and didn't have any room for them. I have one horizontal langstroth that's vacant and and thinking about combining in it. Planning on stapling paper vertically to the sides and bottom and through a cover board so the two sides are separate. I have two questions I'm pondering as I plan this.

1) Do I leave both sides queenright and let them sort it out when they merge? I'm leaning towards that but wanted others thoughts and opinions. I should also mention we had a massive wind storm this past weekend and one of the trees fell over and the swarm trap was damaged, it's possible it's not even queenright.

2) I only have an entrance on one end of the hive. Should I make a second entrance so both end have one then close it once they've combined and established? Both traps have a few frames of brood, pollen, and honey.

I guess the third option this late in my season would be to make a solid divider and run two hives out of itp but I was thinking the combine would be better to have a stronger hive going into the hot part of the summer and dearth.

Forth option I suppose would be to install one colony in the hive and put one in a nuc as a resource

[gww]

I only have langs and I did not look for the queen when I stacked them.  In am not sure if I worried about an entrance but is I did it was probably just a stick or pencil for a little air.  I  have heard that putting the smallest in the confined place might be best but there are better bee keeper here then me.  The queens seemed to work it out ok with out me and probably better then me.  It worked and so that is the best I can say.  I get most of my swarms before the have really started on much comb and so in my opinion, you are moving hives and not swarms.  I always bring my swarms home at night and set them on top of where they are going to be and they seem to orient well enough.  Good luck.
Cheers
gww

[Occam]

Thanks, I appreciate it

[Ben Framed]

Forth option I suppose would be to install one colony in the hive and put one in a nuc as a resource

I know nothing first hand about long langs because like gww, I only have regular langs. As far as combinations go he sounds to be successful in his way of doing it and success is what matters and is the bottom line.

Of the four options you are considering, I would personally go with number 4. Do you have extra 5 frame nuc woodware?  I have built swarms up as high as 4 deep before transferring to a double 10 frame lang set up.. (A ratchet strap is recommended if you go that high.)  Of course by the time they have built up that strong,  you will have had time to build another long lang for transfer. There are other options as well depending on your resources...

Phillip

[BeeMaster2]

Occam,
It really depends on what you want. Do you want more hives, a stronger hive for a fall flow or a hive and a Nuc for backup.
If you only have one or two hives, I would go for number four also.
Jim Altmiller

[Occam]

Fair opinions, thanks y'all. I actually don't have any nuc boxes but it wouldn't exactly be hard to make a couple. I guess I'll do the combine for now.

[Bob Wilson]

Occam.
1. How to paper combine a long hive...
Make a single sheet of newspaper WET with water and squeeze it out.
Gently open it flat. Drape the newspaper over the top of the last frame of the host hive and down into the hive body until it touches the hive bottom. Press the paper to the sides of the hive like a wet shower curtain. It will stick and mold itself to the sides of the hive, the bottom, and the face of the last frame.
THEN add in the swarm frames, moving them up against the host frames to hold the paper in place.

2. Combining queens.
I have always heard not to do that. One will win, but you could be left with a damaged winner. If the swarm has eggs, you could pinch the queenright hive queen, or find the swarm queen and kill her.

3. Nuc.
I agree. You could always use the swarm as a resource nuc, but eventually I would think you would want to combine it with a hive before winter. Although nucs over winter for me, here in Middle Georgia.

[gww]

I do know that I had read some commercial bee keepers that used to combine hives in the fall have written that they let the bees work it out and did not remove a queen.  I do say that if both have queens, both probably have eggs and it would seem hard for it to go too bad.
Cheers
gww

[Ben Framed]

Bob, I am thinking it is the virgins that fight it out, while it is the workers who decided which laying queen goes or stays? If my memory is correct following gwws' lede, that may explain why commercial beekeeping friends don't worry about it? Perhaps it is what they meant by letting the 'bees' work it out?
(keep in mind I have processed so much information during the my past few years here at beemaster 'School of Bees😉 ' that sometimes I get confused, this may be one of those times. lol) 😳
Phillip

[Occam]

Bob, great idea with the wet paper, I appreciate it!