Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: don2 on May 26, 2013, 08:39:02 pm

Title: spliting a nuc
Post by: don2 on May 26, 2013, 08:39:02 pm
How long do you all think I need to wait before I split my nuc. As in, I put my 5 frame nuc in a 10 frame box when I got it on the 11th of this month. At that time there was only 3 frames of bees and brood, two frames of food. I have 6 now going on 7&8.
Could I take 2 frames with the queen and be on the safe side for what is left to make another queen? Or should I wait till about mid June when there will be another box on with lots of bees?  :) d2
Title: Re: spliting a nuc
Post by: Moots on May 26, 2013, 08:52:26 pm
My newbie guess would be wait...sounds like that would be pushing them way too fast.
Title: Re: spliting a nuc
Post by: bailey on May 27, 2013, 02:10:35 am
Wait a while.  Let them build out a box of frames then split a nuc out. 

Take the nuc away from its parent colony. A different bee yard is best.

Let the nuc be the one to make a queen. 
That way at least one hive remains strong.

If the nuc fails you can still try it again with the same hive by the time you know it failed.

That's my thoughts.
Bailey.
Title: Re: spliting a nuc
Post by: Finski on May 27, 2013, 03:50:03 am
.
Wait that hive has 4 boxes of bees. Then start to think to split it.
then it has about 15 frames of brood.

.
Title: Re: spliting a nuc
Post by: BlueBee on May 27, 2013, 11:40:41 am
When a box is packed, it’s time to split, or add more space.  It takes 21 days to make new baby bees so that give you some idea how long it will be before you should even consider a split.  If we’re talking deeps, a deep frame has 6000+ cells.  If/when most are capped brood is a good time to split since you’ll have an explosion of bees once they all emerge.  Splitting before they emerge will keep them in the new box as well.  (They won’t fly back to the old box).

As others have said, it’s best to wait a while.  Also move a frame with eggs into the new split; or buy a mated queen for a faster buildup.
Title: Re: spliting a nuc
Post by: don2 on May 27, 2013, 10:50:10 pm
I added another box today. I'll let it ride for about 14 days and see how it looks.
I got the nuc on the 11 of this month. Got it in a 10 frame box on pick up. Only 2 bare frames left. Don't want it to swarm. Her pattern is solid from top to bottom, end to end, except for the space they store brood food. Got a look at her Sat.  :) d2
Title: Re: spliting a nuc
Post by: divemaster1963 on May 27, 2013, 11:49:15 pm
I have very good luck doing walk away splits. U just turn the box 90 degrees from the old box next to it and place limbs with leaves in front. have not had one leave yet. by putting the limb with leaves in front it makes them do reorientation to the entrance.  I am doing another five splits this next weekend. I leave the queen in the old box and put a queen cell in the new box. with frame of brood caped. and frame of honey and pollen.


John