A General Hive Question

[Terri Yaki]

Having not been stung by bald faced hornets explains a lot...like why you don't take proactive action against them. I grew up on a farm and worked on a horse farm for a few years early in life. I found a YJ nest between hay bales once and out along a creek whilst I was string trimming once. I've been hit by bald faced hornets about half a dozen times and other stinging vermin a few times. My experience with bald faced hornets is that they know what between the eyes is and what the temples are and they need no provocation. In my eyes, it's either me or them. Removing their nests is actually pretty easy if they are 15' or less from the ground. Go out at night with two cans of Raid Wasp and Hornet spray and empty the cans on the nest, starting at the entrance hole. If YJs are in the ground, a large pot of boiling water after dark puts them away and a skunk will probably be along to dig them out and eat them.

[Kathyp]

Removing their nests is actually pretty easy if they are 15' or less from the ground. Go out at night with two cans of Raid Wasp and Hornet spray and empty the cans on the nest, starting at the entrance hole. If YJs are in the ground, a large pot of boiling water after dark puts them away and a skunk will probably be along to dig them out and eat them.

If I had one at my place, I'd remove it.  I wasn't going to go do it for someone else    If the YJ nests are where you can get to them, then yes you can deal with them.  I have on my own property.  Nests under the neighbors construction leftovers are out of my hands. It was not until his workers started getting hit that he did something about it, but by then they had acres of nests so it was not fixed overnight.  We still have some, but nothing like before.

[The15thMember]

If YJs are in the ground, a large pot of boiling water after dark puts them away and a skunk will probably be along to dig them out and eat them.

I had this exact thing happen once with a nest in the apiary.  Poured hot water down the nest twice, and then the next morning it was all dug up.  I think it was a raccoon though, not a skunk, simply because we have lots of raccoons, but I've never seen a skunk on this property.

[Terri Yaki]

Either is possible but skunks are nocturnal and they can be right there and you don't know it. But, I'd be surprised if they could be around for any length of time and not spray for some reason or other and that is hard to miss. There is one that lives in my area and when he's in my yard, he can hang around for a while and he (or she) stinks the place up. I forget how big an area they roam but they do roam a fairly large area.

[Terri Yaki]

How many days after merging hives should I inspect the hive?

[The15thMember]

If you are doing a paper combine, I don't see why you couldn't inspect once they are through the paper. 

[Terri Yaki]

How will I know when they're through the paper? It's down under a deep.

[NigelP]

I wouldn't bother with a newspaper unite, you have too few bees. I'd do an air freshener unite. Take a spray can of air freshener, any make; and spray both boxes and then put then together. Next day I'd  shake the bees down into 1 box, remove any badly infected frames.

[BeeMaster2]

You can also do the same with a lot of smoke.
Jim Altmiller

[Salvo]

Newspaper is easy peasy.

Make sure to make one 8+- razor  blade slash in the center of the paper. They'll be though it in less than one day. The bees will then shred the paper and remove it from the hive if you don't.

Sal

[The15thMember]

Yeah, I'd say if you slashed your paper, wait 24 hours, and if you didn't, maybe wait 48 if you want to be sure.  As Nigel said, these colonies are small and weak, they likely wouldn't fight even if you just threw them in together. 

[Terri Yaki]

OK, paper was slashed in several places so I'll get out there tomorrow morning and take a peek and see how small I think I can make what's left of them.

[BeeMaster2]

Terri,
If you have one, just look at the oil tray. It will look like the bees were trying to insulate the bottom of the hive. If you only have a hard board for a bottom board, it will bee covered or they are pushing it out the front door.
Jim Altmiller