Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: tillie on March 31, 2011, 10:47:16 pm
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Since another thread was getting highjacked and I have a question about the split issue that came up, I decided to start a new thread. Here's what Michael says on his web page:
"An even split. You take half of everything and divide it up. Face both of new hives at the sides of the old hive so the returning bees aren't sure which one to come back to. In a week or so, swap places to equalize the drift to the one with the queen."
what does "face both of the new hives at the sides of the old hive" mean?
Is it like three hives jammed together all facing the same way? One empty and two on either side facing the same way with the split frames in them?
Or does it mean the old empty hive sits in the middle and the two new hives face each other with the old hive in between?
Or do you remove the old hive altogether once the split is made and put the two new hives side by side facing the same way as the old one was?
Help please,
Linda T in Atlanta
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Since another thread was getting highjacked and I have a question about the split issue that came up, I decided to start a new thread. Here's what Michael says on his web page:
"An even split. You take half of everything and divide it up. Face both of new hives at the sides of the old hive so the returning bees aren't sure which one to come back to. In a week or so, swap places to equalize the drift to the one with the queen."
what does "face both of the new hives at the sides of the old hive" mean?
Is it like three hives jammed together all facing the same way? One empty and two on either side facing the same way with the split frames in them?
They are positioned as if setting around a table, facing each other.
Or does it mean the old empty hive sits in the middle and the two new hives face each other with the old hive in between?
Correct.
Or do you remove the old hive altogether once the split is made and put the two new hives side by side facing the same way as the old one was?
Help please,
Linda T in Atlanta
You removed the old hive once the two splits have been in reversed position for a few days.
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>what does "face both of the new hives at the sides of the old hive" mean?
Put a bottom board on each side of the original hive with the entrance facing the original hive. Deal out the resources to those two. When you get done the two new hives are facing the old location, and in the old location there is nothing. The returning bees come back to that spot, look to the right and left and choose a hive. This evens out the field force.
>Is it like three hives jammed together all facing the same way?
No. If the old hive was facing south, the new hives are on each side one facing east toward the old location and one facing west toward the old location.
>Or does it mean the old empty hive sits in the middle and the two new hives face each other with the old hive in between?
The old hive is no longer there. It has been divvied out to the new hives. They are facing where it used to be.
>Or do you remove the old hive altogether once the split is made and put the two new hives side by side facing the same way as the old one was?
Yes.
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tillie; Thanks for asking the questions!
Brian & Michael; Thanks for the excellent explanations!
thomas
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Good question Linda. I had been wondering about the same thing!
...DOUG
KD4MOJ
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So I remember once that I wanted to move a hive about 10 feet and change the direction of the entrance. I was advised on this forum to move the hive about a foot a day and each day turn the hive slightly in the new direction so that in a few days both the hive would be moved and the direction of the entrance would be changed and the bees would successively approximate to the new location and direction.
At the end of this even split the two new hives should be facing each other about 19 inches apart. To turn them so their entrances are facing the direction of the mother hive (east), should I go through that gradual process again?
Linda T in Atlanta
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To turn them so their entrances are facing the direction of the mother hive (east), should I go through that gradual process again?
Linda T in Atlanta
Unless you have other hives very close that are facing north or south, there won't be any problem. Just turn the hives and they will find their way. And you could throw some grass or twigs over the entrance to encourage re-orientation.
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With that kinda split can I assume that one new hive gets the queen and the other makes it's own queen?
And how long does it usually take for the bees to pick which hive they are going to belong to?
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With that kinda split can I assume that one new hive gets the queen and the other makes it's own queen?
And how long does it usually take for the bees to pick which hive they are going to belong to?
Yes, one gets the queen and the other will start queen cells very quickly.
They will enter one or the other as soon as they come back from foraging. There is always drifting going on but the hive populations should be stable after all the foragers have re-oriented, maybe one day.
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You can turn them 90 degrees with no real issues. 180 confuses them a lot longer, but they will figure it out.