[Russ]

I have 2 Queens ordered and will be splitting a STRONG hive. Any pointers on how to do this????????

 

[Countryboy]

Divide the resources 3 ways. Keep the original queen with one part, and put a new queen with each of the other 2 parts.

Take the 2 hives with new queens to new yards to prevent bees from returning to the parent hive.

 

[Russ]

Thanks, Countryboy for your help.

 

[Russ]

Is there an alternative to moving the 2 splits to a different Yard?????? Can I just face them in a different direction than the original hive? I really don't want to move them to a different location. Thanks for any advice. Dale

 

[fish_stix]

You can leave them where they are. But, you'll lose most of the forager aged bees, they'll return to the old hive. Just make sure to get lots of nurse bees transferred, even if you have to shake a few frames into the new boxes. With new splits I'm really more concerned with a good population of nurse bees than of foragers. Many of the nurse bees will quickly start foraging anyway.

 

[Russ]

If I turn the hive bodys in a different direction and put robber screens on, will that make the bees reorient when they leave. I have a couple of robber screens that I can use. Just a thought.

 

[NY_BLUES]

Using the robber screens is worth a shot, worst thing that can happen is they go back to the original hive.