# Using screening to combine.



## jadebees (May 9, 2013)

Swarm catching is going well so far. I have a few more, and it's early. 

I'm going to have lots of small swarms, and was wondering if anyone out there has used an inner screen, instead of newspaper, to get 2 colonies used to each other. 

I find the paper sometimes releases too fast, especially if the feeder drips. I pinch the queen, but often the wild bees will have a big fight with their new "family". I have used up to 5 sheets of paper, without seeing much difference

Just wondering if anyone has done this, I would like a bit more control over the actual "meet-up". I really dislike seeing a few hundred dead, in a new combine, because they chewed thru in 4 hrs. I worry my queens are in danger from that.

I'm seeking some input, rather than waste time. If it didn't help to delay contact, thats OK too. They still combine, after the rumble.


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## sakhoney (Apr 3, 2016)

the bees need to smell like each other - a screen could be used to combine - pull after 5 or 6 days and all should be good - if you are killing one of the queens - after 2 days the new bees will accept the old queen in the hive as there own - but I would give them a top entrance and keep the screen until I was sure. But I have another question - why not build up the little swarm? If you have other hives to pull resources from? Nucs ez sold on craigslist 
Just asking


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## jadebees (May 9, 2013)

sakhoney, to answer your question about "why not build up the little swarm?", that is what you get combining 2 small colonies. 1 larger colony is better than 2 small. 

I catch most all my of my bees, so there's a lot of small new swarms. The best get to head a big combine, the lesser, get to lose a queen. And then be combined, or put with splits. I have 1 or 2 each year, that will be made of 3 small swarms. And some doubles. It's a shortcut, to mature overwintering size in a few months.

20 small swarms will make 4 or 5 nice big hives.
Nothing bee related is an easy sell here, except honey.


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## sakhoney (Apr 3, 2016)

And I agree with you Jade - bigger is better - but with these little after swarms you getting - there usually fresh virgin queens throwing after swarms - put on some comb - and a feeder jar - they will explode when she starts laying - also these little extra queens are good to have for spare resources. Give them a frame of brood - in 21 days you can pull frames of brood from them.


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