[beeMT]

I had a colony and split it into 2, I left 5 frames in the original hive and moved 6 frames with the queen to a new hive just 2 meters away
I checked 2 days later and i noticed that almost all the bees move back to the original hive and from 6 frames full of bee, only 2 frames stayed (together with the queen)

they left all the brood unattended

how can i solve this problem - when i split should i move the hive further away?

thanks

 

[MikeinCarolina]

Most folks will tell you to take the split at least 2 or 3 miles away from the parent hive to keep the bees from going back to the parent hive. I split a hive and left the split right next to the parent hive only about 3 weeks ago - I took 3 frames of brood in all stages and 2 of food stores. Being careful to leave the queen in the parent hive - I shook a couple of extra frames of bees that were covering brood into the split - the nurse bees will not go back to the parent hive - I installed a new queen the next day - so far they have done well - if they can get through this little cold snap.

 

[Dominic]

Most folks will tell you to take the split at least 2 or 3 miles away from the parent hive to keep the bees from going back to the parent hive. I split a hive and left the split right next to the parent hive only about 3 weeks ago - I took 3 frames of brood in all stages and 2 of food stores. Being careful to leave the queen in the parent hive - I shook a couple of extra frames of bees that were covering brood into the split - the nurse bees will not go back to the parent hive - I installed a new queen the next day - so far they have done well - if they can get through this little cold snap.

When you do that, your new colony's forager population will be low, so you have to make sure that 1) it has enough stores to last until it renews it (or is fed) and 2) that it doesn't have more brood than it can keep warm at night.

 

[Millenia]

What's the difference in which hive you place the old queen? Does it matter and why?

 

[Saltybee]

If you have to stay in the same yard or really want to; move both hives a little rather than one only; turn the split a different direction and block the entrance. As Dominic advises, plan on losing from the split and unbalance the brood, the laying queen will make more.

I have less trouble moving splits to the other side of a tree line flight path.

 

[Tenbears]

when you do a split in the same yard unless you move the parent hive also, (To force the parent hive bees to reorient) the foragers from the split will return to the parent hive. leaving only nurse bees, if you did not put ample bees in the split to account for the fleeing foragers there will not be enough bees in the split once the foragers leave. The nurse bees who have never flown outside of the hive, have no idea that there is a different parent hive so they will stay with the nuc. Moving the parent hive causes confusion among the foragers and many will reorient to the nuc. Moving the nuc beyond the normal forage area of the bees forces the foragers to return to the nuc as they have no place else to go. There are many methods that can be employed to successfully create balanced splits. When I started with bees over 40 years ago the Philosophy was 2 feet or two miles Nothing in between. So I have always moved my splits to my other yards. it has always worked flawlessly. My brother moves his hives here there and everywhere without forethought, Although he occasionally has a problem, in the end it all comes out the same.

 

[winevines]

Most- the nurse bees will not go back to the parent hive -

it is not the nurse bees that will go back to the parent hive- it is the forager bees. Nurse bees will stay with the open brood in the split.
So feed the split when leaving in the same yard.

 

[beeMT]

how about doing the split just before sunset with the new hive entrance blocked and only opened once it is dark!?
would that solve the issue?

 

[Dave Burrup]

I do not have another yard to move our splits too. I usually hang long grass or branches with leaves in front of the splits entrances thick enough that the bees have to dodge obstructions to get out. This will make the foragers re-orientate to the new hive. This works most of the time. Another trick is to put lots of nurse bees in, plenty of food, and pollen. Then wait for the older bees in the split to start foraging. This happens in a few days as the capped brood emerges.
Dave

 

[Saltybee]

Dave, in addition to pine branch in close, reversing helps. I have field in front and trees behind the hives so reversing to the tree view really changes the path. Really seems to make them say; "Whoa, somethings changed." Propping a sheet of ply against the hive farther out than the grass also helps a bit.

 

[WBVC]

Question on splits: how often do you add eggs and open brood if they haven't made a Queen cell with the eggs and young larvae they were given?
I did a split of brood,pollen,nectar and honey last week and no sign of a QC when I checked yesterday.

 

[philip.devos]

Most folks will tell you to take the split at least 2 or 3 miles away from the parent hive to keep the bees from going back to the parent hive. I split a hive and left the split right next to the parent hive only about 3 weeks ago - I took 3 frames of brood in all stages and 2 of food stores. Being careful to leave the queen in the parent hive - I shook a couple of extra frames of bees that were covering brood into the split - the nurse bees will not go back to the parent hive - I installed a new queen the next day - so far they have done well - if they can get through this little cold snap.

Mike, I did a walkaway split yesterday, but without a new queen. I left the queen into the parent hive (I think a mistake), but the new hive has 2 frames of capped brood (about 10% drone), with nurse bees. Since the brood is capped and not open, will the nurse bees generally stay with the capped brood rather than returning to the parent hive?

Phil

 

[warpork]

Phil,

The nurse bees will stay as they have no idea where the original hive is, they will orient to the current hive once they become field bees. You said the frames were capped brood. Are you planning on adding a queen? If not, you'll need to add a frame with some eggs on it so they can raise their own.