Scent integration

Scent integration techniques help mask distinct hive odors and encourage bees from different colonies to accept each other during combining. This method involves using essential oils, such as lemongrass or peppermint, or sugar syrup infused with anise. A few drops of essential oil are placed on a cloth on top bars of both colonies, or anise-infused syrup is fed to both hives before combining. These scents disrupt colony-specific odors, making bees less likely to recognize each other as foreign and reducing aggression during the combining process. Scent integration is often used in conjunction with the newspaper method for enhanced combining success.