[RZRBCK BEE]

Let me see if I have this right. Take the 2 brood boxes, split the frames equally, as in brood, pollen, honey, and empty if there are any, and walk away and let one of them produce their own queen? Does it matter if the queen stays in the same box if I don't find her? Should I leave the hives next to each other or move one away for some distance? Thanks

Randy

 

[RZRBCK BEE]

I'm also curious to when they swarm in Arkansas.

Thanks
Randy

 

[Specialkayme]

You have the concept of walk away splits correct. It does not matter which box the old queen is in, or if you even find her and know. Just keep in mind the older bees will drift to the old location, so I usually try to shake a few extra bees into the box you are moving.

As to your swarm dates, I do not know.

 

[StevenG]

Randy, I'm more than a little paranoid when it comes to queen location when I make splits. I make sure I know where the queen is, and i make sure there are eggs and plenty of nurse bees in the box that does not have the queen. Better chance at success in getting them to raise a queen.

I usually leave the parent hive in it's location, and put the split where I want it. I reduce the entrance so they can protect themselves, and toss some grass over the entrance to force the foragers to reorient to their new location. Seems to minimize the forager losses that way. After a few days, if the grass is still there, I remove it.
Regards,
Steven

 

[Yuleluder]

You have the walk away split idea pretty much down. However I recommend getting queens or cells because those types of splits will be way ahead of a walk away split. The biological balance in terms of worker bee age really offsets during a walk away split. Of course you could add frames off brood to get the balance back.

 

[Batman]

When you do a split, when should you check in on them next? I have a hive that I pulled and they had Queens going, that were capped by Thursday. When should I check this hive next?

 

[AR Beekeeper]

Here in Mtn. View the bees are starting to swarm two or three weeks after the Redbud trees are in full bloom. Average bloom date is March 23 but they are about a week late this year.

 

[KQ6AR]

You should have a queen laying within 30 days after splitting.
Need to check at 30 days to make sure it worked.

 

[Cordovan Italian Bee]

Let me see if I have this right. Take the 2 brood boxes, split the frames equally, as in brood, pollen, honey, and empty if there are any, and walk away and let one of them produce their own queen? Does it matter if the queen stays in the same box if I don't find her? Should I leave the hives next to each other or move one away for some distance? Thanks

Randy

Put the splits and bees in old hive in new hive boxes and move all to a different location a few feet and you will have less drifting. Most bees will stay with the new hive you put them in. Put the old hive boxes in the house or tight closed place for a week.