Splitting for Varroa Control

[George Fergusson]

>I am going to try a cut down split (my first split) of the one hive I have to repopulate one of my dead hives. Then (if I can figure out timing) put a frame of drone comb with uncapped eggs/brood in the original hive to get the mites. Not sure what to do with the split out hive as those bees will have mites as they emerge.

From a previous message in this thread (I said it once and can't think of a better way to put it):

"With only open brood, the new hive (the split) is ripe for an immediate mite treatment as all of the mites are phoretic- at least those that haven't already entered cells prior to capping."

"After the capped brood in the old hive emerges, it too is ready for mite treatment. Giving them a frame of eggs so they could raise a queen would tie up house bees and trap some mites. I think I'd rather wait a week or so and then give them a a new queen or queen cell."

Some of the timing issues involving a cutdown split and drone comb trapping still have me scratching my head. I figure I'll just have to sort it out as I go.

>Does this make sense? Does anyone have any comments or suggestions? I am really at a loss here. I don't want to do splits on all my hives each year (too much $$ in woodenware) - I like having 4 hives. What do you think the best way to go broodless would be?

Sounds to me like a lot of unnecessary manipulations for a new package. You want them to build up quickly and steadily with as few interruptions as necessary.

In subsequent years if you don't want to make increase, you can still arrange a broodless period and utilize drone comb trapping for varroa control, and likely prevent swarming as well if you're lucky and time it right. Either caging the queen or requeening would be a reasonable way to obtain a broodless condition.

George-

[Ian]

>>I don't want to do splits on all my hives each year (too

I like having increase nucs at my disposal for insurance when those heavey loss years come about.

your thinking too far ahead of yourself. Whats the harm in keeping an extra two increase? They will only use up another couple of chambers. That is the easiest way of keeping your numbers steady. And stop fussing over the spring dwindling hives

[cmq]

I split for several different reasons:
1) Good incometo pay for my habit of
beekeeping
2) Good way to rotate older comb out of my
apiary.
3) I require bees & comb to fill my
3 frame mating nucs so this fulfills
my need.
4) Forces me to get in hives & "open them up"
so it turns out to help out on swarm
control.
5) At the end of the season it gives me
strong nucs that I can turn early in the
spring.

The low levels of mite infestation in the spring do not come into play on my spring splits, but could be a factor later on in the season.

[Michael Bush]

>does anyplace sell plastic small cell foundation?

Dadant used to. It worked ok on regressed bees and poorly on unregressed bees. They seem to have dropped it. You might find someone who bought some and hated it to sell it to you or you could ask Dadant if they still have some.