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Author Topic: First time split questions  (Read 2492 times)

Offline crowhammer

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First time split questions
« on: January 26, 2009, 11:16:23 pm »
I've got a two deep brood box colony that's going gangbusters. I'd like to split them into two hives. I've never attempted something like this so don't really know what to expect.  I can just split the two and let one raise it's own queen, but understand that may not be the best option. I'd like to install a new queen in the box that is queenless. Now, what would be the best way to do that?
     The actual introduction of the queen isn't my big issue, though I'd be happy to hear any good advice anyone wishes to share. It's getting to that part that I'm a little fuzzy on. If I can't find the queen before the split, do I just split the boxes anyway, than see which one is queenless?  How long will it take before I can tell? How do I tell? Also, should I have my new queen on hand before attempting the split?
     Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
     

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: First time split questions
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2009, 06:55:02 am »
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Offline IABeeMan

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Re: First time split questions
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2009, 09:58:44 pm »
 I have used 2 methods and both have been rather succesful for me.

#1 Place a queen excluder between the boxes 4-5 days before you do the split. Then when you split them look for the box with the new eggs in it and that will tell you which box has the queen in it.

#2 Split them and leave them as is for 4-5 days. Then you can go and look in the boxes and find the box with the new eggs in it and that is the one that has the queen.

Offline DaveKow

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Re: First time split questions
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2009, 09:25:39 am »


#2 Split them and leave them as is for 4-5 days. Then you can go and look in the boxes and find the box with the new eggs in it and that is the one that has the queen.

How much time do you have, if you want to introduce a queen in the queenless box?  Does it matter if they already started making queen cells?  Will the new queen have the queen cells destroyed? 

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: First time split questions
« Reply #4 on: January 28, 2009, 06:19:20 pm »


#2 Split them and leave them as is for 4-5 days. Then you can go and look in the boxes and find the box with the new eggs in it and that is the one that has the queen.

How much time do you have, if you want to introduce a queen in the queenless box?  Does it matter if they already started making queen cells?  Will the new queen have the queen cells destroyed? 

You can introduce a queen successfully up until a few days before the queen cells hatch.  Once the queen shows movement within a cell the colony will return to queenright behavior.  Generally that means that you can introduce a queen up until the capped queen cell is 7-8 days old.  After that forget it.   
No, an introduced queen will not destroy the queen cells, which means that if you have queen cells in a hive to which you intend to introduce a queen, it will swarm when the new queen hatches.  If you have capped queen cells, or almost capped queen cells it might be a good idea to set up a nuc using those frames along with bees from another hive.
Newly hatched queens will usually go about locating and killing any unhatched queens but even then, more likely in multiple brood boxes, some cells may be missed which sets the stage for after swarms.

Hope that helps make things as clear as mud.
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Offline IABeeMan

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Re: First time split questions
« Reply #5 on: January 28, 2009, 09:12:42 pm »


#2 Split them and leave them as is for 4-5 days. Then you can go and look in the boxes and find the box with the new eggs in it and that is the one that has the queen.

How much time do you have, if you want to introduce a queen in the queenless box?  Does it matter if they already started making queen cells?  Will the new queen have the queen cells destroyed? 


I usually split on the weekend and requeen the following weekend and have never had a problem.

 

anything