Tim, I was raised in northeast Texas and know Elysian Fields. As dry as it has been this summer, I would be surprised at this point if you really have that much honey. It seems as if they have been continuing to raise brood all summer. Without a flow, that means they are eating honey at a high rate.
Splitting -- This time of year will work. Later in August or early Septembe might be better as night temps start to fall and golden rod starts to bloom. We can raise queens in this area until first frost, probably 01 Nov or later. I would leave the honey at this point unless you find you really have a surplus. We still have another 6 weeks of hot dry weather and you want them in a queen raising mood. Split the hive 60-40 or so, with the weaker hive having the current queen. Leave the queenless hive at the current location so it will remain strong with workers. The other hive will have a laying queen so it will be fine if it looses some workers.
You may be able to get three hives out of each hive if they are really strong and you can find enough frames of eggs. If so, leave the two queenless hives at the old location, turned sideways facing each other. This will give them both some of the workforce. If they get out of balance, swap them in a week or so.
You may want to check your smaller hives and see if they need food. If they do, give them some honey frames from the bigger hives. You can also pull brood frames from the bigger hives to strengthen the smaller hives, just shake the bees off.
We usually have a strong fall flow on golden rod and aster. I would do something to get ready for that. Last fall it didn't happen do to drought. With the late summer rains recently, it should be good this year. That is the honey I overwinter on.
One last thing, if those 6 boxes are really full of honey, can I bring some hives to your place?
[ July 29, 2006, 09:17 AM: Message edited by: Ross ]
Splitting -- This time of year will work. Later in August or early Septembe might be better as night temps start to fall and golden rod starts to bloom. We can raise queens in this area until first frost, probably 01 Nov or later. I would leave the honey at this point unless you find you really have a surplus. We still have another 6 weeks of hot dry weather and you want them in a queen raising mood. Split the hive 60-40 or so, with the weaker hive having the current queen. Leave the queenless hive at the current location so it will remain strong with workers. The other hive will have a laying queen so it will be fine if it looses some workers.
You may be able to get three hives out of each hive if they are really strong and you can find enough frames of eggs. If so, leave the two queenless hives at the old location, turned sideways facing each other. This will give them both some of the workforce. If they get out of balance, swap them in a week or so.
You may want to check your smaller hives and see if they need food. If they do, give them some honey frames from the bigger hives. You can also pull brood frames from the bigger hives to strengthen the smaller hives, just shake the bees off.
We usually have a strong fall flow on golden rod and aster. I would do something to get ready for that. Last fall it didn't happen do to drought. With the late summer rains recently, it should be good this year. That is the honey I overwinter on.
One last thing, if those 6 boxes are really full of honey, can I bring some hives to your place?
[ July 29, 2006, 09:17 AM: Message edited by: Ross ]
