> The newspaper method is a simle >convenient way to combine colonies. In the case of the wax moth being the >cause for combining two colonies I would be cautious about bringing the >attending problems of the weak colony TO the strong colony. It seems >accepted practice to do this but I again would measure the value of the >bees to be "rescued">IMHO<marginal gain vs:greater ills. ie: tracheal >mites,varroa other diseases..... NOW to the newspaper method. >NEWSPAPER METHOD >1. Remove/kill the queen from the weak hive before combining to your >strong colony. (presuming the strong colony is with a healthy queen) > >2. Remove the cover from your strong colony, smoking the bees down, place >a sheet of newsprint on the top of the strong hive. (tape it down on the >sides with some cheap tape if your working alone.) You now have the >strong colony contained. > >3. Just before stacking the queenless hive bodies on the top of the >newsprint, poke or cut a few small slits in the newsprint (to provide the >bees a place to begin cutting the newsprint on their own.) small cuts. > >4. Replace inner cover/top cover.. go home..say prayer.. > > I believe that is it in a nutshell. The bees will chew the paper >into little bits and remove them from the hive. Apparently in the >housekeeping confusion they accept the scent of the foreign hive that was >grafted on as OK. > >A good reference for some tips aside from the BEE-L are The Hive >and the Honey Bee. ABC's and XYZ's of Bee Culture, and a small >book How to Keep Bees and Sell Honey. >I wanted to provide these book titles >for the new beekeeper as >I personally have found >them usefull..... >Merry Christmas, >God Jul. .. Maynard.... > >[log in to unmask] > >On Fri, 22 Dec 1995, Peter Plumley wrote: > >> I've seen many references to the 'Newspaper Method' of combining hives but >> have never read about the details. Can someone elaborate on this method - >> or refer to a published account? >> >> Thanks, PWP> > >One other helpful tip when combining the two hives is to spray the newspaper with sugar water 2 to 1 mix as you perforate the holes. Seems to mask the phermone scents of the hives and assit the bees in breaking the barrier. Bill Kinghorn Sharabee Apairies Phone 705-689-1310 RR #1, Severn Bridge, Fax 705-689-9285 Ontario, Canada. P0E 1N0