Splitting Bees - Disappointing Results (Could have been worse)

This is the follow up video for early season splits we did a few week back. If you'll remember I tweaked my method a little. Well, we had some crazy weather and early splits with cells can tend to be a little risky. To be honest the results were a little disappointing but could have been much worse. In this video I inspect several colonies to see queen acceptance rate. I also show what happens when a paint pen bleeds while marking a queen (Big. Red got painted). In this video you will see that even though things don't always go as planned there are are still positive takeaways (silver lining). Let me know what you think!
Link to original splitting video here: • Plan Comes Together Wh...
Watch the story of Big Red, the painted queen here: • What happened to this ...
Cory Stevens explains the Stevens Queen Introduction Method here: • The Unique Way Cory St...
Link to Turning 1 Hive into 4 here: • Complete Change of Pla...
#brucesbees #beekeeping #beesarecool
@brucesbees is a beekeeping channel, a vlog of sorts. Here we discuss apis mellifera, aka the honeybee. We give people a look into our sideliner beekeeping operation. We share successes and failures. We show how we feed bees and treat bees for pests, such as varroa mites, small hive beetles and others. I am not a treatment free beekeeper though at one time I thought I wanted to be. We also discus things that are important to us that I think apply to beginning beekeepers and more seasoned beekeepers alike. We also show the beekeeping techniques we use to manage the bees and harvest our honey and sell our honey. We talk about beekeeping equipment and tools. At times we also catch swarms of bees and have even done a few cutouts, though I usually leave that for the professionals. This is not Beekeeping 101, though hopefully the information here is useful. As my good friend @Mike Barry says, this is not a necessarily a "how to" channel. It's a "how I do" channel. I hope you will continue to join us as we continue to perform hive inspections, discuss important matters in the beekeeping world, meet other beekeepers, perform splits, grow our operation and just continue down the path of this wonderful beekeeping adventure. Let's GO!!!

[@honeyandthecoop803]

Stay fresh a little longer, longer with Big Red.... for those older enough to remember!

[@tedadams1324]

This is why you ALWAYS dab your marking pen BEFORE you paint your Queen. Good learning video for others.

[@aussiebeekeeping]

He did

[@brucesbees]

I did dab it but was more careful afterwards. Have probably marked 20 or more queens with that marker. Some before and some after without any issue. But have been super careful since that happened.

[@mkirkland616]

I've noticed my pens build pressure when they get hot from sitting in the hot truck. They can very easily spray ink everywhere. I always shake the pens up real good and then press the felt against a tree or the hive stand to relieve the pressure before trying to mark a queen.

[@brucesbees]

Great advice. Thanks for the tip Matt!

[@timbervalleyhomestead]

I’ve been doing that too but didn’t realize it builds pressure I’ve just done it as a precaution 😂 thanks for giving me some feedback on that I wasn’t just wasting ink

[@richardpraeger6357]

Great Video! I have learned that time is money....my time is best used in supporting strong colonies and quickly cutting those weak colonies out.

[@brucesbees]

💯

[@Mike_squarebeefarms]

Gotta love it when you can work them in a t-shirt with no gloves on. That’s the bees you want for sure. I think the bees in the first Nuc are planning to replace her. Cool video!

[@brucesbees]

Yes they are getting better. You may be right about them replacing her. Thanks for checking in.

[@KiwiWildman]

Hi Bruce, weather plays a big role in the percentage, but the layout and location of your nucs is important too. I see that you have multi colored boxes, that is good. Try spreading your mating hives out a bit and moving them further away from the 10 frame hives. I face all my single mating nucs in the direction that bees naturally fly in that location so it is a straight flight in when they return to reduce the chance of them returning to the wrong hive. I have no idea if that makes any difference, but it makes me feel better :) If you continue to get a low percentage in that location, it might be an indication that the drone population in the wider area is poor. Remember they don't mate with drones from your yard, they fly out to find drones from other hives. Good luck. Cheers Chris

[@brucesbees]

Thanks. Great stuff. All good things to consider.

[@massachusettsprepper]

We would always like to see all of our Queen cells take unfortunately mother nature sees things another way. And I did the same thing you did with big red only it was old yellow LOL. She went on for two more seasons and was a fantastic Queen so I hope you have the same good fortune. Thanks for sharing.

[@brucesbees]

True. You never know. I think Big Res will do fine. Peeked in on her a couple of days ago and she was doing great! Always good to hear fro you my friend.

[@russellkoopman3004]

Hey MP. Hope you are doing good. How did your bees do over the winter? Here in MN we have been so cold and snowy. Got 4 nice days this last week and then today we got another 4 inches of snow. No warm weather in the forecast either. 53 is the best day in the next ten. I have two weak hives that have dwindle so bad that they will probably be goners by May. Have a good one.

[@massachusettsprepper]

@@russellkoopman3004 sounds like you're having a rough go of things my friend. We did pretty good considering the crazy ride we had this winter with the weather. We went from the mid 40s down to 20 below zero within one day. That didn't get the bees much time to adjust and re-cluster. So we did so for some losses but overall we still came out ahead. I have already started putting sugar water on my colonies stimulate the queens and get them laying. We have been in the low 70s to mid 80s this past week but we are dropping back down in the 50s here in a day or two. Hopefully spring will find its way to your neck of the woods real soon my friend.

[@russellkoopman3004]

@@massachusettsprepper Thanks for the comeback MP. Last week we had 4 1/2 nice days and I got an average of a gallon of one to one on each hive and a lb of dry pollen sub plus a patty of Global 15%. I hope it carries them over until spring. Take care.

[@sonofthunder.]

ive been marking queens too,neon pink.n green,...i didnt have red,finally heard piping,beep beeep beeep beep....so neat,caught 3 swarms,and making splits, and relocating ...its a busy beginning,to this season

[@brucesbees]

Spring is a fun time. All kinds of adventures in the beekeeping world.

[@WildwoodsBeekeeping]

Splits Looking good, Still waiting to see how mine do and if they have a mated queen. Good stuff Bruce 👍

[@brucesbees]

Hope they do well for you Grayson. I think I just split these bees too soon. Early splits are risky. Sometimes they work out well and sometimes not so much. Last year was pretty good. This year not so much.

[@MikeBarryBees]

Good to see you rolling on thru the season and making bees Bruce. Always nervous when I go in to check splits and queen ‘takes’. I saw very similar results yesterday going thru my NUCs. Grateful for the ones that made. Thanks for sharing Bruce!!

[@brucesbees]

Yes I was/am disappointed but have to look on the bright side of things. Hopefully the “takes” will do well. The two that were “iffy” actually ended up being drone layers and got dumped a week later.

[@framcesmoore]

Bruce I enjoyed this video hope u have a blessed week.

[@brucesbees]

Thanks and you too.

[@dsummerscm]

Enjoyed the video Bruce! Thank you for sharing the reality of beekeeping!

[@brucesbees]

Yep. Not always a good result. Thank for checking in Dawn!

[@eliinthewolverinestate6729]

I think your right on first nuc needing more space. Strong colony wanting more space or gonna swarm.

[@brucesbees]

Yeah will see how it works out.

[@drholingue]

Bruce, What do you suspect in the failures? Is there anything in common? What a great thing you are doing documenting this.

[@brucesbees]

I think with the early splits crazy weather played a role. I just done think the queens were able to get properly mated.

[@scottweymouth4026]

I’m fighting early splits this year as well… weather has been terrible everywhere…. Good luck!

[@brucesbees]

Yeah these splits did not go nearly as well as I had hoped. But sometimes that’s just how it goes.

[@toddknecht2106]

As for shaking bees, I’ve heard an influx of homeless bees could possibly kill queen in another colony, it is probably worth the few steps to shake in the middle of the yard away from other colonies. I had two queenless colonies last fall after super removal, I shook out in front of other colonies, I had two more queenless in mid February. Can’t say for sure but kinda points towards the shakes. Next time I’ll move away a bit b-4 I shake. Just a thought, thanks for the videos!

[@brucesbees]

Yeah I’m hindsight might have been better to shake a ways away. Hopefully it will be ok.

[@charlesoneill466]

Thanks Bruce great video. I especially liked on of your comments, regarding poor performers. "Combine them" Hard for me to give up on a hive. But, they rarely get better. Soaking up resources. Move on.

[@brucesbees]

Yes it is hard to give up on them but I am getting better at it. I went and checked again a week later and the two that were “iffy” were both drone layers and got dumped. Definitely not the results I was hoping for but oh well…sometimes it just doesn’t work out as hoped.

[@timbervalleyhomestead]

1. She looks odd and I think they know what to do. 2. What about giving the older bees some new uncapped brood and have them raise a new queen? 3. What do you do with drone layer if she were to go into another hive? … I like to know more about holding them. I wear gloves. I use a tool but I rather have the use of my hands when tagging a queen. I’ve lost one because of wearing the big bulky goatskin gloves and lost one to the tool with the foam mat in it. She managed to squeeze through the slits and she ripped held in half. You said grab by the wings but then grab legs, what if you squeeze her legs too hard? They tackled that queen 😂. I wish these pens didn’t do that.

[@cheapsmoke4096]

If I find supersedes I just let them happen because you never really know what's going on and they know way more about their hive than we do haha

[@brucesbees]

I agree and have pretty much the same attitude. I’d I see supersedure cells I will typically leave them alone. If multiple ones I might split the colony. I just kind of take each situation on a case by case basis.

[@farmermike7052]

Hi Bruce. I appreciate the tips on marking queens.

[@brucesbees]

I am still learning how to do it. Hopefully can get better at it.

[@randyneese7902]

Nice video. I split two yesterday with two queens I bought. Hope they come along. I’m already seeing popular blooms . So hopefully they will grow fast.

[@brucesbees]

If they are mated queens o imagine they will do great. Cells or virgin queens are iffy if too early. So many variables. But I’m the long run I am ahead.

[@zetectic7968]

Well I learnt something new here. I didn't think a hive would accept strange worker bees, glad I was wrong. Re: marking queens you either need a blotter(tissue or piece of paper) to dry the tip of the pen, or try a different brand to prevent a queen getting flooded with ink.

[@brucesbees]

Good stuff. Thanks for checking in.

[@jameswoenker2659]

Been thinking of splitting a few of mine. Been looking for drone before I did so.

[@brucesbees]

Smart move on your part. We had drones and still do. I really think the weather played a role in these disappointing results.

[@jameswoenker2659]

@@brucesbees North east Indiana . Cold and possibly Snow Monday

[@brucesbees]

Yuck. I imagine your bee season will be fast and furious when it gets here.

[@aussiebeekeeping]

Great video. It was almost like the bees saw Big Red as a foreign body in the hive and were trying to drag her out possibly. I’ve never accidentally drowned a queen in marker. Cough cough. 😊

[@brucesbees]

Could be but I actually think they were trying to rehab her. They worked and worked with her it seemed. And she ended up juts fine. Checked on her a couple of days ago (1 week later) and she was doing great!

[@donbearden1953]

Hey Bruce, as always I enjoy your videos! I hope Big Red is doing fine!😊

[@brucesbees]

I peeked in on them a couple of days ago and she was alive and well. Thanks for checking in and for the support Don.

[@johnhudson412]

Probably just nature knowing more about what’s going on than we do.

[@brucesbees]

Agreed. I may decide not to split as early next year. Some years are better than others for that.

[@johnhudson412]

@@brucesbees well, at least here in Texas, spring started earlier than usual.. no harm in trying. Enjoy all your videos sir.. keep up the good work.

[@brucesbees]

Yeah ours started early and then got crazy. Who knows lol? Thanks for the support?

[@cluelessbeekeeping1322]

This year I had awful luck with these cool spurts. I had SO much brood chill in my splits (2-frame splits). I'm going to make a few DOW Blue Foam 2-frame nucs. That might be enough to stop brood chill. Another thing with my 2-frame nucs...I'm going to try and keep active hives in them. My hardest problem I have with them is keeping bees there.... After they're established, it's not hard... We'll see. (I never kill queens...I'd let that runty hive have a 'go' at it), I know that's not the best/smartest advice, but I don't have it in me to kill any queen.

[@brucesbees]

Hey good stuff. Thanks for checking in.

[@CastleHives]

Watching this video gives me ideas for a new type sticker for the QueenRightDial. The Bees seem calm, that’s good. Hopefully everything gets situated.

[@brucesbees]

Thanks for watching Brian. Hopefully it helps.

[@mikeconley3031]

I’d be happy with that percentage. I’m running 25% rite now. Weather took a huge turn for the worse. Just couldn’t get them mated. Don’t know if you do this but always dab your pen on the edge of box first. Good video 👍👍

[@brucesbees]

Yeah it’s always risky early. I was much more careful to do what you said after this happened and have successfully marked several queens since then. Thanks for checking in!

[@stonegatefarms]

Nice Video, Bruce. Sorry about your take rate. It's possibly because of the help you had that day. 😊

[@brucesbees]

Not a chance. I really think weather to alter a role and may have been a little early. Always a risk that early in the season.

[@GrammyMidwife]

Great video, Bruce!

[@brucesbees]

Thanks Lisa! And thanks for the help yesterday.

[@GrammyMidwife]

@@brucesbees it was my pleasure! Anytime! I’ll remember to wear baggy jeans and better boots next time! 🤣🤣

[@sentimentalbloke7586]

Regarding the stumpy queen, they seem indeed to be superceding her and best to leave well enough alone. Keep smiling.

[@brucesbees]

Could be true. Gonna see what happens.

[@cordovanbee]

First one they are replacing as we speak

[@brucesbees]

It’s possible.

[@offshoot1008]

Could you put a new queen in . The genetics is not relied on old ones but new bees. Does the queen go out to be mated only once? How long will she stay out for mating?

[@brucesbees]

They do mating flights early in their life just for a couple of day I think. Once done mating they will not mate again. The hope is that they mate with several drones and return safely to the colony. But sometimes Mother Nature has other ideas. Once a colony is in the shape of some of these is is tough to fix. Lots of old bees and lots of problems. I guess it might be doable but when you have a lot of colonies efficiency become important and it is not worth spending a lot of effort or time trying to get things rectified.

[@spiritoftoad]

Over here in Georgia, we call em birthing hips 😂

[@brucesbees]

Lol.

[@atlas9172]

Minute 4:30 Why not lay 1 layer of newspaper over the 5 frame box of hive 1 (without any lids ofcourse) and add hive 2 (no bottom). Would this be a suitable way to level up the 1st hive and manage the 2nd?

[@brucesbees]

Yes you could probably do that. So many ways to do things with bees.

[@SylantBill]

Let stubby queen go for a little while longer.

[@brucesbees]

Yes I plan to do that. Hopefully she will do ok or they will successfully replace her. Time will tell.

[@SmokyMountainLashBees]

If the short one survives call her Stubby lol. I have one gal that’s got a yellow wing and she’s doing great. Those pens can have minds of their own too.

[@brucesbees]

Seems like it. Much more careful after that. Have marked several since then and it hasn’t happened again 🤞

[@brucesbees]

“Stubby”…I like it!

[@BucksBeesS.C.]

At least you have some drawn foundation +++

[@brucesbees]

Yep. Most of it had already been incorporated.

[@tomahawkmissile241]

try mating nucs in the shade and that cluster on the corner of pallet most likely has a queen.

[@brucesbees]

Thanks for checking in.

[@spudgn]

Take the frame with the queen cell and put it in this one. Swap one for one frames with the stumpy queen.

[@brucesbees]

Sound like it would work.

[@dorr221]

I'm new, just one colony but Two eggs= laying worker bee.Right?

[@brucesbees]

Not necessarily. At times the queens will lay a couple of eggs when they are first getting started. I think most of these were drone laying queens from not getting mated properly. But it is possible that aging workers were the issue.

[@CMPearrow]

I did that to one of mine . I hope I didn’t screw mine up !

[@brucesbees]

I looked a couple of days ago and Big Red was alive and well. Hopefully yours will be ok too.

[@alhambraorchardapiary4882]

Sucks on the low return rate, how did the California bees do?

[@brucesbees]

They just got back a couple of nights ago. Haven’t really looked in on them yet.

[@mcorne8134]

Why not newspaper the weak NUC with the strong NUC? Gives the strong more room and saves the bees from the weak.

[@brucesbees]

I’ve never used the newspaper combine method. I know a lot of people use it but I have never found it to be necessary.

[@brucesbees]

I understand the reasoning behind it and believe that people need it do what they are most comfortable with. So would suggest if people find it to be their preferred method then I think that is what they should do.

[@webco53]

Bruce what variety of bees do you rear that are so calm?

[@brucesbees]

I really don’t know what they are. Kind of a mix of a lot of things. Some are still a bit spicy but overall they are getting better.

[@davidlewis4179]

Big Red Boy I wish all my queens were painted like that

[@brucesbees]

Yep. I checked on her a couple of days ago and she is doing great!

[@brucesbees]

Definitely easy to see.

[@benjamindejonge3624]

Selection is the thing btw what label marker you use?

[@brucesbees]

I am not sure of the brand. It has worked perfectly on many queens. Just had that one incident with Big Red where it leaked. Have been more careful. I got the pen from Nature’s Image Farm.

[@Steele_Wings]

Call her Roll Tide😂

[@brucesbees]

Hey not a bad plan. Haha.

[@jamestownsendjrtbees3226]

I think I saw a queen on the last frame run down over the bottom of the frame in that first nuc?

[@brucesbees]

I found the queen in the first one but maybe you saw one in the second nuc. It’s very possible I missed one.

[@lenturtle7954]

If the hair is worn off old bees

[@brucesbees]

Thanks for checking in!

[@benjamindejonge3624]

The red baron,es

[@brucesbees]

Haha. I like it!

[@woodlandharvesthoneycompanyllc]

Since there were queen cells on the frames your little queen may be a virgin from a queen cell and hasn't went on the mating flight yet. Your original may not have been able to make it back. Also Big Red looks like she will be ok. She will sure be easy to find.

[@brucesbees]

Could be. Lots of things to think about in this video. Yes Big Red is very easy to see.

[@tbchaffin9008]

What type of camera set up and tripod do you use?

[@brucesbees]

I use an IPhone 13Pro with a DJI mic and this tripod: 72" Tripod for Camera, Tall DSLR Tripod, Aluminum Horizontal Tripod Monopod, Professional Heavy Duty Camera Tripod Stand with Remote, Tablet & Phone Mount, Compatible with Canon Nikon Sony a.co/d/fWVE5cc

[@MrBeachbums5]

Take a page from your mentor.... "give it a couple weeks." Let's see how she performs.

[@brucesbees]

Yep that’s what I did. But the ones I shook were too far gone IMO.

[@brucesbees]

Had already checked them a couple of weeks earlier.

[@Robbie-Rob_Bees_Apiary]

why not shake them into another hive?

[@brucesbees]

Could do it but I prefer to let them figure it out. Also in theory any laying workers or bad queens shouldn’t be able to find their way to another colony or can be killed if they try to enter.

[@vytbbb7146]

maybe they just didn't like red colored hives so the queen left :)))

[@brucesbees]

Haha.

[@russellkoopman3004]

Stubby needs to go. Not a good looking queen that will be able to fill out a double deep and make honey. They want her gone. My guess.

[@brucesbees]

Could be. We will see. I have had some that were “smallish” end up doing ok. But you could be right. A disappointing result for sure. Sometimes it’s a little tough to produce videos like this.

[@russellkoopman3004]

@@brucesbees I'm sure it is tough. But it is bee keeping. The weather isn't always with us and other factors mess things up. But we keep trying and sometimes we're a genius. LOL Thanks.

[@brucesbees]

Absolutely. Thanks for checking in my friend.

[@russellaymond312]

Shake the bees

[@brucesbees]

I did.

[@tjones2ful]

I have better luck with splits when I feed pollen patties and sugar.

[@brucesbees]

Thanks for the tip.

[@tjones2ful]

You are welcome.

[@CMPearrow]

Just plentiful

[@ippolitius]

Replace her.

[@brucesbees]

Which one?

[@TexasBeekeeper]

First?

[@brucesbees]

Looks like it!