Combine weak colonies to build winter-ready strength

Assess colony strength in September and merge any colonies covering fewer than 6-8 frames of bees into stronger units using the newspaper method. A colony needs at least 20,000-30,000 bees to maintain the winter cluster temperature of 34-35°C (93-95°F) at the core.

Why It Works

The winter cluster generates heat through muscle micro-contractions of individual bees. A larger population produces more metabolic heat per unit of surface area, reducing per-bee energy expenditure. Research shows colonies below approximately 10,000 bees cannot sustain the cluster core temperature through sustained cold snaps and collapse.

Steps

1. Assess each colony in early-mid September -- count frames covered with bees on a mild day
2. Select the stronger queen from the two colonies being merged and remove the weaker queen 24 hours before combining
3. Place newspaper with a few small slits between the two hive bodies -- bees chew through over 1-2 days, allowing gradual scent merging
4. Remove the empty equipment once the colonies have fully merged (3-5 days)

Tips

• Two weak colonies combined make one strong colony; two weak colonies left separate often both die
• Always treat both colonies for varroa before combining to avoid transferring high mite loads into the merged unit
• Ensure the combined colony has adequate food stores -- merged colonies need proportionally more honey