How late is too late?
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Beekeeping is VERY local, Bees 10 miles away may be able to be split later or not as late as yours. You need to talk to local beeks or experiement. You can always do it and if it doesn't work out pinch a queen and re-combine later. In my immediate area I don't like to do it past june 10 unless I'm prepared to feed. Bees 6 miles away in town with more lawns with clover and other irrigated forage can go a little longer in the season because their flow last longer.
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One of mine is in the process of making queen cells right now. I will split one hive this Sunday and make a total of 3 nucs with it. 2 will raise a new queen, and 1 will get the original queen. I will divvy up the 11 drawn topbars between the 3 nucs and would expect them to pack away enough syrup for winter. Last year I got my first set of bees mid August on 4 top bars and with summer and fall feeding, they drew out about 10-12 bars and had 6 with capped syrup by Nov. I'm also using a pollen patty in my nucs to help build up faster this year. I think you are close to my area, so you probably have a shot at it.
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you can split a little later if you have drawn frames. this very much a local question.
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Where are you located in NY? I am back and forth with the idea of splitting one hive....it has supercedure and swarm cells, two cells being fed (not sure which ones)...even with drawn comb I wonder if they have a chance....it has been an unusual year here for forage so far, seems there is plenty currently, with knotweed, the goldenrods and asters coming later. What do you think?
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cloverdale: I am about 100 miles north of Syracuse near the thousand island bridge to Canada. it is plenty late to split but I have some spring packages I want to re-queen, I will make some splits in the procedure, I hate to waste the good california italians. I also have a local type hive without a good queen so I just got 6 ny raised queens. he had a bunch more, maybe 200 more banked.
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Middle of July, that far north...I'd greatly prefer to introduce a mated queen in a Laidlaw cage than split. You'll likely still be able to pull that off if there is a late flow of goldenrod and/or aster, or other late bloom. Like everyone says, it's a VERY LOCAL thing.
Your most aggressive mite treatment (if you treat) is due around August 15. As soon as nights start getting colder, it's time to combine the weaker colonies with stronger colonies for winter. A good guideline for a 2-deep colony is if it weighs 130 lbs going into winter, they'll likely make it. Weighs less? => FEED THEM. Good luck!
Your most aggressive mite treatment (if you treat) is due around August 15. As soon as nights start getting colder, it's time to combine the weaker colonies with stronger colonies for winter. A good guideline for a 2-deep colony is if it weighs 130 lbs going into winter, they'll likely make it. Weighs less? => FEED THEM. Good luck!
I'd say as long as your local condition support the right temp. and the drone population holds then it is safe
to do a split and have some mated queens. I am in the process of making some August queens that will be
use for overwintering in nucs. If there is a Fall flow then I don't have to feed otherwise I will both
patty and syrup to prepare them for this coming winter. You can do an experiment every year to compare
the result for your local area.
to do a split and have some mated queens. I am in the process of making some August queens that will be
use for overwintering in nucs. If there is a Fall flow then I don't have to feed otherwise I will both
patty and syrup to prepare them for this coming winter. You can do an experiment every year to compare
the result for your local area.
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I said above drawn comb helps. late in the season you really do need a mated queen also. in my area in the fall you must be up to something like a deep of bees plus a deep of honey going into winter. the bottom deep should be partialy back filled. the ones more skilled than me who winter nucs in the north, I think winter them in 2 story deep nucs with similar proportions. even double deeps may need additional feed by spring. pretty near impossible to draw out this much comb this time of year. pretty impossible to raise a queen and have enough bees this time of year. kind of doable with a queen ready to work and drawn comb. the Russian type queens do not build up well if you are starting now [bad choice for starting this time of year] they do not build populations well in the fall.
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Thanks for the info....
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Well, I don't think I will split them, they can do whatever they plan. I can combine later if needed....my hives did winter over this last year but had trouble with a laying worker hive and mated queens being balled....we do have lots of beautiful spring honey, though! Yummy!
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Thanks Beepro, I will do what I did last year for the winter since it worked well...
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