This hint was first put on the Association Facebook page on 28 December 2014 by Dick Johnston.
Step 1, 17 November Arrange for possum box to be placed next to a queen-right hive.Step 2, 17 November Box 1 is the queen-right hive. Box 2 above newspaper is filled with 8 frames of foundation. Boxes 3&4 are empty boxes over an escape board in which the possum box and bees are placed. The bees in the possum box have nowhere to go but out the escape board, chew through the newspaper and will join the queen-right hive. They can’t be bothered trying to get back to the possum box.Step 3, 19 December This step was added after a month at the suggestion of Jim. When all – or lots – of bees have left the possum box, the escape board is taken out allowing the bees in the hive to rob the possum box of its honey.Step 4, 27 December After another week, there are only a few straggler robber bees hanging around and the possum box can be removed together with boxes 3&4. Box 2 which started out as foundation is now fully drawn with heaps of honey.
Step 5, 27 December Possum box contains a few straggler bees only.
Step 6, 27 December The wax can be removed no fuss. There remained a little honey around he edges. I should have left it another week as Jim suggested.
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