[mike haney]

stuffing grass in the entrance so they have to go through it works well,also. the idea is to slow them down enough so that they notice something has changed and reorient. putting the new hive (with brood frames and no queen) in the old location will get more older field bees to stay and help them out. good luck,mike

 

[kwest]

i split two hives last year and set them within 10 feet of the original hives. i just made sure to get alot of brood and bees in the new split. then i shook some extra bees off a few frames of brood from the original hive also. just remember that the field bees brought to the new split will return to the oringinal hive location so give them plenty of young bees. i had no problems doing splits this way.

 

[mixofsam]

Thanks for the insight. Another quick question: When I do split I plan on introducing a new queen. I'm assuming I would put her in the split the same day (in her cage) and let her eat her way out....just like with a package...is this correct?

Thanks.

 

[mike haney]

use 2 or 3 frames with open brood, covered with bees(look close for the queen,) and a couple frames of honey. the nurse bees on the brood frames will release the queen, just like a package. make up your split in the AM and add the queen cage in the PM. good luck,mike

 

[Michael Bush]

The tree branch may help some, but it helps a lot more if the old hive isn't there anymore...

I just face both splits to the old location, or shake extra bees in. I don't confine them.

www.bushfarms.com/beessplits.htm