Expansion dos and donts

[TheBuzz]

I'm planning to go from 2 to 8 hives next year and wonder if splitting my 2 deeps multiple times is ideal or I should try making nucs?

[Solomon Parker]

Is the idea of a nuc based on the size of the box?

You can split them into whatever you would like. Some beekeepers recommend putting them in a smaller space to conserve heat.

[TheBuzz]

No so much size but a space they can defend and grow in I guess. I don't wanna split to early and they get wiped out because they're weak or start robbing one another.

[Solomon Parker]

Yeah, that won't be good. Are you planning on doing walkaway splits or buying queens or what?

[Maryland Beekeeper]

Perhaps a few swarm boxes around town in the spring ? For establishing healthy, strong new colonies, nothing beats swarms. With only 2 hives the inbreeding could pose problems down the line.
Cheers,
Drew

[Andrew Dewey]

If you are splitting that hard you won't have the resources to raise your own queens - with perhaps the exception of walk away splits. I think you'll do much better if you use purchased mated queens, or at least queen cells.

[TheBuzz]

Inbreeding that's new to me. Are most bees of the same genetics? Or do the commercial nuc produces figure they're bees are being widely spread out to not matter? I like my type of bee too so I don't wanna introduce southern Italians who are weaker for New England into the genetics.

I have other carn keepers in the are but their queens seem much smaller then mine.

[Solomon Parker]

Inbreeding won't be a problem. You are not isolated.

[TheBuzz]

Inbreeding won't be a problem. You are not isolated.

I'm not?

[Acebird]

IF you buy queens the genetics are going to be what you buy if you do walk away splits the genetics will be what is local. Buying queens would be faster than walk away splits. It might be touch and go to reach 8 from two with walk aways.

[Solomon Parker]

I'm not?

If you are in fact from Hartford, CT, no, you're not. Queens fly for miles looking for drones to mate with. Unless you own all the hives in a given area or the only hives in a given area, inbreeding is not likely to be a problem.

[TheBuzz]

If you are in fact from Hartford, CT, no, you're not. Queens fly for miles looking for drones to mate with. Unless you own all the hives in a given area or the only hives in a given area, inbreeding is not likely to be a problem.

I live like 10min for Hartford? Ahh I gotcha so she'll be get another with the neighbors

[Solomon Parker]

Exactly. There are beekeepers in your area, and there are likely bees living feral as well.

[squarepeg]

buzz, just a beginner here, but i made some splits this year. i found the best time was at the beginning of the main flow, which turned out to be from early april to mid may. this was also prime swarm season here, and i was able to capture several swarms by just putting out boxes with a swarm lure inside. the flow was so good, that i didn't have to use any syrup.

one split was a 'cut down' split as describe on mike bush's website. i took the queen, a frame of honey, and two frames of brood. i let the remaining bees make their own queen and it worked great for both the parent colony and the split.

the other split was a hive that was about to swarm. i made three out of it. one with the original queen, and two with swarm cells. i ended up having to buy a queen, because one of the splits with the swarm cells was unsuccessful getting a mated queen.

the first swarm i caught in a trap was easter sunday. they grew fast, and i was able to harvest some honey from them. the later swarms built up ok, and hopefully will give me honey next season.

good luck.

[TheBuzz]

U sure got a lotta posts for a beginner

[squarepeg]

let's don't let the cat out the bag.

[windfall]

Buzz, I am not entirely clear on your initial question...are you choosing between an even split, some build up time and then another even split vs breaking down the hives into 8 nucs all at once?

I will be interested to see what the experienced have to say, but I would lean to nucs all at once in late spring after the hives are back up and cranking. It seem you could either buy in queens or pull the queens and a frame or two from both hives, let those hives build cells and then build your nucs using those cells. If your exisitng hives are reasonably strong (come spring) it would seem plenty of resources to make it work.