>  There seems to be no easier way of uniting 2 nucs or colonies than the
> "old newspaper trick".



But there are other ways just as simple. I've found that drizzling thick
syrup (HFCS) over all the bees in both units...before uniting...works as
well as newspaper. I guess the bees are so intent on cleaning up the spill,
that they don't notice who they are rubbing shoulders with.

Mike