[NewbeeInNH]

Have an opportunity to start a split with a new mated queen, but I wonder if it's too late in the season. Is there a rule of thumb about this?

 

[disc999golfer999]

Usually when you do a split you want the nectar flow to still be going since they produce more comb earlier in the season as in early spring to summer. Otherwise you will need to feed the bees sugar water, and pollen patties.

If you got the bees to do a split, I would go for it. You will need to feed both hives to make them strong enough to get through the winter.

Good luck. I am only 2nd year at it and am still learning a lot.

 

[NewbeeInNH]

Thanks, disc. I should do it just for the experience. Another lesson learned: What happens if you do a late split.

This is a northern-raised Russian, so I hate turning the opportunity down. It's not easy to get good northern Russian queens.

 

[virginiawolf]

Go for it. If you feed them and provide some pollen supplement to get the brood rearing in full swing and they get stores and young bees you might just make out alright. I made one recently but I am not as far north as you. I did one in august last year and fed heavily and it made it through winter and was booming this spring. I took like 6 frames of brood out of it to share with other colonies and stuff. She is a great queen.

 

[NewbeeInNH]

Thank you! I had bought one of these queens before (granted, they're all different) and she was a real powerhouse.

I hope the feeding won't attract robber bees. It's kind of dearthy right now.

 

[Adamandeverest]

Keep us updated! Probably won't do it till my 2nd year but this interests me a lot.

 

[rwlaw]

My mentor had a queen that didn't start laying till 8/22 last year and they made it thru the winter.

 

[NewbeeInNH]

Okay, I'm on the order list, so we'll see how it goes. Split in early August, I must be nutz.

 

[ruthiesbees]

I'd say if her side of the split receives lots of capped brood and drawn frames, they should do just fine as long as you give the extra feed.

 

[hilreal]

If you have drawn comb you will probably be ok. Feed, feed, feed. Keep entrance 1-2 bees until it builds up a little. If this is the only nuc you have you can easily baby it through the winter. Keep it in an unheated outbuilding or garage, keep it well insulated, make sure it has a candy board or sugar on at all times, etc. Check on it frequently, you know kind of treat it like a pet. I kept one in my garage one winter and and warm days I took it outside for a potty break and then brought it back in at night. My wife thought I had lost my mind

 

[NewbeeInNH]

treat it like a pet.

:lpf:

My wife thought I had lost my mind

Probably not an uncommon sentiment, were we to have a spousal survey on here.

Yup, feed is probably THE important factor here, sad to say because I haven't had to use feed since last winter.

 

[bolter]

I also think you should go for it. We captured a swarm in late Aug last year & it is one of our best hives this summer (carny queen). We had a good flow last fall, gave them some frames of honey from other hives & fed as well.

 

[Wolfer]

I'm in southwest MO. First frost around Oct 15. I start nucs every year around Aug 1 and let them raise their own queen. Here is my method.

I start the nuc with 5 frames of mixed brood with good honey/pollen bands on them.
When the queen starts laying they have out grown the nuc due to all the young brood I put in.
When I transfer them to a ten frame deep I give them another frame of capped brood and a frame of honey and one of pollen.
At this time I start feeding. They now have 8 drawn frames and a box full of young bees. It's around the first to the middle of sept by this time.
The new queen can get close to two cycles of brood before it gets two cold. Maybe more.

I have no problem getting these thru the winter here. When spring comes I feed 1/1 when the temps get above 50 during the day.
You better have your boxes ready. They tend to explode when the weather breaks.

 

[Mike Gillmore]

Have an opportunity to start a split with a new mated queen,

Can you provide additional information on the donor hive. What you will be starting the split with, as far as drawn comb and brood, and what will you leave with the donor hive?

Feeding is great, but depending on the resources you have for both, they will still need sufficient time to build up and prepare for winter.

 

[NewbeeInNH]

That sounds like a great system, Wolfer. I take it you have many hives to be stealing all the brood from?

 

[NewbeeInNH]

Can you provide additional information on the donor hive. What you will be starting the split with, as far as drawn comb and brood, and what will you leave with the donor hive?

Feeding is great, but depending on the resources you have for both, they will still need sufficient time to build up and prepare for winter.

Well, I have a few hives I can draw from. I've never taken honey, so I should be able to spare some.

I think the donor hive will be the new Russian package I got this spring. She was laying like crazy and I've pretty much left them on their own to do what they want. I have 3 other hives that were splits in June that are doing well too, so it's possible I could take one honey from this hive, one brood from that hive, and end up with barely noticeable contributions from donor hives and plenty for a split. That if, if you can take spare parts from different hives, without bees fighting over territory. But yes, I'd be putting only drawn comb in the new split, probably 2 frames of honey, 2 frames of brood, and then introduce the new queen cage.

 

[MTN-Bees]

You could try a double nuc with drawn comb.

 

[Mike Gillmore]

That's what I would shoot for too, a double nuc for wintering. You could start right now putting together a single, and over the next month or so slowly take a frame here and there from your other colonies to give them a second box with drawn comb and stores.

 

[NewbeeInNH]

I don't have nucs. Would a medium super work?

 

[MTN-Bees]

No- Look at Betterbee's website for double nucs. I find it easier if I keep all my brood on one size of frames. I use deep frames for my brood.