Uniting means making one strong colony from two. Instead of trying to take a weak colony through the winter, uniting is in most cases the better decision.

When to unite

• A weak colony going into winter. Such a colony is usually lost
• A queen lost and not replaceable. If no frame of eggs can be given, uniting is the only way out
• Laying workers. Such a colony will not correct itself
• Building strength for the harvest. Two average colonies give less honey than one strong one

When not to unite

Never where disease is suspected. Uniting is the fastest way to carry disease into a healthy colony. Do not act before understanding why the colony is weak.

A colony with a high mite load should also be treated before uniting; otherwise the mites are carried across.

The newspaper method

This is the commonest and safest method.

• Decide which queen will remain; remove the other
• Place the box of the now queenless colony above the colony that will remain
• Lay a single sheet of newspaper between them with a few small holes
• The bees chew through the paper and unite; during this time the scents mix

Slow contact prevents fighting. Within a day or two the two colonies become one.

Choosing the queen

Decide in advance which queen stays. The criteria: young, tight brood pattern, calm colony.

If both queens are left together one will be killed, and the choice will not be the beekeeper's.

Practical details

• Work in the late afternoon. The foragers are home and the risk of robbing is lower
• Take care if the flow has ended. Fighting is more likely in a dearth
• Reduce the entrance for a few days afterwards
• Remove surplus boxes. The united colony should be brought into a single arrangement
• Arrange the combs. The brood should be kept together

Afterwards

Check after a few days: has the newspaper been chewed through, is there a pile of dead bees, is the queen laying?

A pile of dead bees indicates fighting; this usually comes from making the holes in the newspaper too large.

Summary

Uniting is not a failure but resource management. Going into winter with one strong colony is wiser than keeping two weak ones apart and losing both.