First split

[Noel V]

I'm about to do my first split tomorrow so I want to confirm, two frames of pollen, two of brood and two of honey from which I'm going to remove all the bees and then put a queen excluder on top of the old hive and the new brood chamber ontop of the the queen excluder to let in nurse bees for about an hour at which point I remove the new brood chamber into its new position.

This should work? Any tips or suggestions welcome : -)

[walking bird]

Why not just skip the whole step of putting the hive on top of the old one? Just bring lots of nurse bees in with the frames you pull, and shake some extra ones in.

[Tom G. Laury]

What you are describing works really well. Sealed brood does not attract nurses, though. If you leave it for a day there will be more bees in it.

[Michael Palmer]

I want to confirm, two frames of pollen, two of brood and two of honey from which I'm going to remove all the bees and then put a queen excluder on top of the old hive and the new brood chamber ontop of the the queen excluder to let in nurse bees for about an hour at which point I remove the new brood chamber into its new position.

I would use only 1 frame of pollen. When I split, I like to use 2 frames of sealed brood, and 1 frame of unsealed, and 1 of honey. The unsealed will bring up nurse bees through the excluder. Place the pollen frame next to the open brood.

I like your use of the queen excluder. I've made thousands that way...and still do.

[Michael Palmer]

Yes, leave the split over the excluder over night.

[Michael Palmer]

Why not just skip the whole step of putting the hive on top of the old one? Just bring lots of nurse bees in with the frames you pull, and shake some extra ones in.

Because the bees will equalize their population better that we will. Also, you don't have to look for the queen(s). Using the excluder insures that you are making a queenless nuc...without having to take the time to be sure.

[Tom G. Laury]

This is one of the greatest uses for excluders; I mean for dividing or making nucs. When you combine the use of a bee repellent with excluders I don't think there is any faster way to make numbers. No looking at all.

[Eddie M]

Would I be correct in assuming that you are allowing the bees to make a new queen in the upper chamber or are you going to introduce a new queen?

After removing the newly created split chamber from above the excluder - can that hive body be located in the same apiary or do you have to move it 3 miles away?

[Tom G. Laury]

A big box of bees gets a mated queen in a cage. I have always moved them away.

[Michael Palmer]

Would I be correct in assuming that you are allowing the bees to make a new queen in the upper chamber or are you going to introduce a new queen?

After removing the newly created split chamber from above the excluder - can that hive body be located in the same apiary or do you have to move it 3 miles away?

Not necessarily. Using an excluder in your splitting process is just for setup. You can allow them to raise a new queen, give them a cell, or give them a caged queen...which is what I do.

Because I add a comb of open brood, there should be ample young bees to take care of the brood...so you don't have to move the nuc. Just place it on a new stand, or....

You can use the process for requeening. Use the top brood box...with brood and honey in all stages...for the nuc. Once the queenless nuc has spent the night on the excluder, the excluder can be exchanged for a solid inner cover...one with the escape hole...separated from the parent colony. Give the nuc a laying queen. Let her establish her broodnest for 3 weeks. Kill old wueen and unite with nuc.

Queens are accepted in the nuc very well...almost every time. The old bees flew down to the old hive and only young bees remain...which always will accept a new queen.