Hey! N.E.Texans-what month do you split?

[EasttexTim]

I need to split some big hives this spring...as near as you remember, what time period when done in the spring? Does it seem that most years there is a couple of weeks(Month/week) that are "best"? I am 125 miles due East of Dallas (if that helps, climate/date wise).
Thanks!

[tecumseh]

as soon as you can either 1) acquire some queens (typically for texas queen producers about the first of april) or 2) about two weeks after you begin to see the first drones in you hives if you are raising your own queens. nectar flow wise, the 'best' time frame for your area 'should' be about mid april. As a bioliogical marker I would watch to see when the willows bloom, which should mark the first of the season for you. the clover (there use to be quite a nice crimison clover area just a bit north of your location) is a pretty good bioliogical marker for the end of the prime nectar producing season.

[EasttexTim]

Thanks Tecumseh....a great help, as always! You know what is funny? I am a horticulturist and I have never paid any attention to what Willow flowers even look like...shamefull. Jeeze...now that I think about it, I do not recall seeing many Willows around here. They were everywhere when I lived in the North. I will look for them; thanks again.

[JohnK and Sheri]

Tim, we sometimes do splits down your way in the little town of Tenaha and have some friends that are doing queens and splits down there this year as usual. They are reporting pollen now, not sure what type. Pine is an early source in this area. We have gotten early mated queens out of Florida in the past and split in the middle of March no problem.
Otherwise, what Tecumseh said.....
Sheri

[tecumseh]

the williows should be in just about every low area along the tributaries of the sabine and angelina river systems. water willow maybe???? heck you are the horticulturalist, so you tell me. makes a very fine pollen that covers just about everything. quite a massive pollen flow when the time comes, but high winds will typically bring it to a quick conclusion. I have pollen coming in here now at a nice little rate on every sunny day. on overcast days, like today, somewhat less. likely sources... maybe elm and wild onions. As of last week I had a few hives with drone cells capped.... very few emerged drones yet.

good luck bro....

[EasttexTim]

Hey Sheri...I am just up the road from Tenaha! What a coincidence. I too have been getting some pollen- yes, wild onion- even a smattering of dandalion. Ahhh....Ditch Willows. Forgot about them! Salix somthing-or-other. That is the botanical name, lol. I do need to look hard when I see a stand of them and watch for the flowers.

I want to let my bees raise their own Queens when I do my splits. This is why I am asking all these questions about doing it at the right time. I have 3 huge hives that have robbed the fool out of my smaller hives and they need to be delt with. I figured by splitting them down big time, that would bring the problem down a lot- and hopfully keep the swarming to a minumum.

[tecumseh]

sounds like a most excellent plan tim. queen rearing success either contrived or in walk splits has a much larger probabliity of success when the flow is on and a good flow of pollen is essential.

'ditch willow'... now why didn't I think of that.