Splits. When is a good time?

[rubeehaven2]

After reading about Rays success in bee yard growth I had to re-think splitting my hives.  I started with two packages last year and both survived their first winter, and look strong going into the spring.  Though, spring hasn't exactly sprung here in NY yet!

Anyway, I was told if I want honey this year, NOT to split.  If I split the hives, the hives will essentially be building stores to survive the next winter.  So, they probably won't have any surplus honey.  This seems to make sense, but the hives are starting out much stronger and much earlier than they did last year as packages.  (And, they had more than enough stores for the winter)  So, now I am thinking they should be able to do both, be split AND be able to harvest honey.

What are your thoughts out there?

Thanks, Rich

[Steel Tiger]

If you're worried about weakening the hives, you might consider splitting into nucs. You'll take less resources from the hives and still build up the number of colonies. One frame of brood, a frame of honey and a frame of pollen into a 5 frame nuc.
If they still have plenty of honey left over from the winter, harvest some of that after they start building back up. If they have a ton of honey, you'll want to pull some of it anyways.
 Depending on the type of bees you have, you should be able to harvest in June or July and they'll still have plenty of time to build up winter stores.
  Congratulations on having both hives survive this long, cold winter.

[Michael Bush]

http://www.bushfarms.com/beessplits.htm

If you have drones flying, a strong hive and enough time left for them to build up you can do a split...