How To Split Your Beehive The Easy Way

In this video I go over the main points of a walk away split.
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[@ryanhawks8343]

Finally! I’ve watched at least a dozen videos before this one, gone to beekeeper’s association meetings and asked questions on every forum about the easiest way for a novice to do a split and this is the first one that I didn’t end up more apprehensive at the end of than when I started-great job and thank you! 👊🏻

[@silveravnt]

This is the best split video I've seen all day

[@Bobcagon]

Thanks for posting this. Even though it’s 4 years on since,it’s always relevant as a resource. For newbies it can be confusing on splits but having so many channels to pull from on this subject it is good to get different beekeepers thoughts and presentations to draw on. I find the biggest factor to decide on is the TIME factor vs FLOW factor vs BUYING A QUEEN factor. Based on individual locations, weather, seasonal changes, nectar availability etc… many cannot afford the 30 + days to re-establish the split. I like Barnyard Bees idea of perpetual Queens in the yard. Even using his 2 frame Queen box idea to maintain a Queen reserve so to speak is beneficial as opposed to buying Queens. It hastens the aspect of splitting in many cases.

[@chrisbalzer7770]

Thank you for not complicating it like so many others 🙏🏽

[@gstullo]

If I went into any of my boxes without protective gear, my girls would murder me.

[@maureenmacmahon8631]

Love this comment, I thought it was just me!

[@brianboe3774]

I’ve been at this 7 years … never wore a suit … this year installing two nucs from the cardboard I took about 30 stings … ever since they are in wood they are calm and I’ve only been tagged a couple times

[@ryangarrett8759]

Simple! Thanks for this. So many videos for new beekeepers get way too granular and dissuade. Keep it simple! Thank you! I’ll be splitting this month.

[@thefrenchgardener1865]

Best video about walk away splits......simple directions....thanks

[@cecilyfeather3646]

Love your work. Simple and to the point. 👍

[@brucekellman821]

My only question is what kinda unhappy / unappreciative person or persons would give a WILLINGLY HELPFUL SOUL like this a thumbs down!!!??? I'm VERY APPRECIATIVE!! But being the soul you are brother I know you don't let these kinda thumbs bother you. Having the ability to ignore em and keep on unselfishly helping us who APPRECIATE you speaks VOLUMES ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER AND SOUL! Caring on bearded brother!

[@BKBees]

Bruce Kellman I am always curious about the thumbs downs, and wish I knew why. That being said I try not to let that stuff get to me, the vast majority of the time people are polite and generous, like you. Thanks for the support.

[@brucekellman821]

B&K Bees you're only human and have feelings, but as you mentioned the good overwhelmingly outweighs the bad! Brother you are doing MUCH GOOD for us new beeks! Many don't want to help us for whatever reason, but thanks again! Goodnight brother!

[@dougmorgan4766]

Yes but look at how many thumbs up there is, That's a much better story.

[@craigmarti]

I honestly believe that a high percentage of the dislikes are accidental. The dislike button is right next to the like button. The percent split (as of today) is 840/16. That means that only 2 percent of people (who voted) disliked the video. It would be a much lower percent overall as most people don't vote. With that in mind, it isn't implausible to think that a sizable percentage of the 2% actually meant to hit like and accidentally hit dislike.

[@DiazGrowsFood]

New like from NC 🤙🤙

[@wjarnock44]

Thank you - best explanation Ive come across for splitting hives.

[@ashleyturner2882]

this is the best split video ive ever seen! thanku!

[@menace2584]

Never get tired of the "how to" videos like you said. Good job.

[@BKBees]

Thanks for watching, Dennis.

[@heididoran3424]

Thank you for making this video! I love how simple you made this process. I wish I would have found this video earlier in the year. Can’t wait to give this a try next spring.

[@cbbees1468]

This video was really helpful for a new beekeeper. My colonies made it through winter (winter ends in January in our region) and will likely be splitting later this spring.

[@dandodge1523]

No gatekeeping just knowledge. Thanks!

[@andrewilly2803]

I've watched a lot of split videos and this one is the best! Thanks for your description very easy to understand. We only have one hive and want to split next year so will do it this way, cheers😁

[@BKBees]

Thanks, Andre!

[@RethanHunter]

Did you try making a split this year? Curious to hear if it worked out for you or not.

[@lanceoren9781]

Thanks very much for the instructions. I followed your advice & now have 2 more thriving hives. Located the new hives some distance away to discourage runaway empty nest syndrome. Also had to narrow entrance against robber bees. About 3 guard bees wide. Awesome teacher, thanks again.

[@wendykim57]

HOw far away did you relocate your other half of the hive

[@mimib3396]

Great video, and even though it was last year this is exactly what I needed to see right now. Thanks!

[@nigelw598]

Hi B&K Bees, Thanks for taking the time to make and post this. I’m just getting started with bees late in the season here in Australia. I’ve got a million questions getting prepared for winter and next season and you have kindly answered a bunch. Good on ya mate! I’ve liked and subscribed 👍 Cheers, Nigel 🍻

[@denverjnpierre7228]

Yep! I will put that video in my playlist. Thank you.

[@lukemiles1711]

I’d love to own bees and am thinking of starting next Spring. I’ll be watching all your videos several times 😅 Big thanks and great job!

[@BKBees]

Thank you! Feel free to comment or email any questions you might have, I can't always answer them right away but I'll do my best.

[@alexpaulson4597]

Slick! Great info! I finally got my first hive about two weeks ago, so I have had the chance to open them up twice now. I'm hooked! I have read and watched a lot but there is nothing like just being able to finally getting my hands in that hive! Thanks for sharing!

[@BKBees]

That's why I often say, "have some fun with your bees".

[@alexpaulson4597]

And you weren't kidding! I find myself going over just to watch them almost every day!

[@robbailes9614]

Watched your video this morning and made my job so much easier today. I was watching it on the way to pick up a swarm and a nuc. I decided to get a queen while I was there and go ahead and split my existing hive. Your advice took allot of the stress out of it. Worst case scenario they go back to the hive but it actually looked like they loved their new queen so I must have done something right. I left the frame with the newest eggs and a few more combo frames along with whatever they have going on in the super

[@robbailes9614]

I put the split in a five frame box that I picked up as well instead of starting them in a bigger box

[@debbierodda2203]

Great. Love your down to earth style.....and your accent 😉 I’m going out to do this shortly!

[@BKBees]

lol, did I do a stupid accent in this video? I do that sometimes. :)

[@renatabrillinger5194]

So helpful for the beginner I am!

[@MegaDavyk]

I did a walk away split with my son when he was young and said to him tomorrow I will move the one that has the queen a couple of meters away thinking the foragers will go to the box with the queen and it will have significantly more activity then. My son asked how I would know which one has the queen and I found myself telling him well actually we could just ask them right now. So my son goes over to the first hive box and kneels down beside it and says to the box hey have you got a queen in there and he puts his ear to the hive and listens, then he does this to the other box and I say to him which one sounds the most upset and he points to it and I say what do you think they are saying, answer "WE don't have a queen".

[@BKBees]

Truth Seaker awesome.

[@landomilknhoney]

❤️

[@dennismichael6210]

D & D’s Bees. Thank you for your very clear beekeeping advice. Always enjoy your videos👍

[@naturalwitchery]

This is so adorable! A natural bee keeper❤

[@TheWisendorf]

Good choice for the newby BK. Good idea to mark the cover with a date and if one is a queen right then mark it because after 3 or 4 of these you will forget stuff.

[@jeffherold8888]

Good point. The beeplus app is great for keeping up with your activity.

[@sly1936]

SUPER HELPFUL! Thank you. I’m headed out now to try my first split. 😅

[@Gmarkx]

Top notch out of thousands complex videos!😂

[@robcruthis7539]

Hi, First off thank you for sharing your knowledge. I am in Florida and I have a couple of questions for the upcoming spring but first let me paint a picture of what I have going on. I bought two nucs last spring and transferred them into their own 10 frame deep with 5 frames of foundation. I immediately started feeding them the 1:1 sugar water. I also was adding honey bee healthy that I had made following a recipe with tea tree oil, lemongrass, wintergreen, and I think spearmint oil. After several months the 10 frame deeps were 80% built out. I then added a another 10 frame deep on top of each of the original hives. I moved a couple frames of brood and food to the top boxes as well. Fast forward to November and now the top boxes are 90+% full. I was worried about swarming but was told that I do not need to worry about that right now during the winter months but be prepared to handle it quickly come early spring. My original goal was to build out all four of the deeps then split them so I had four separate colonies. At the same time I would add a queen to the two queen less hives, add a queen excluder to all four hives, then a medium honey super to all four hives so I could start producing honey. Question one, Am I on the right track? Is this method you use in the video a good way to accomplish this? Can I add the honey super like I described? I imagine that even with the queen excluder and room for bees to work in the honey super, the queen in the brood box will still be out of room shortly. Should I split each of my 4 hives since they are all full? Basically ending up with 8 hive colonies with a queen excluder and honey super on top of each of the 8, giving the queen room to continue laying and the workers more work to do? Thank you again, Robert

[@TheBguenth]

Best explanation I've seen! Thank you!

[@chrisplace6048]

That was sooo much better and sooo more sensible than the other 100's I've watched. Wished I'd seen this one first, would have saved me loads of time. So basically in spring add a brood on top of my existing brood box without QE and add 1:1 syrup to help draw comb, and let them expand. Then do this split when they are strong enough. Is that it? Cheers pal.

[@BKBees]

That is a fantastic plan.

[@t.g.sproduction8073]

Really appreciate your videos... You help me alot.... Watching from Vanuatu 🇻🇺🇻🇺

[@matthewsweeney2577]

Your intuition is right, good timing, this is my third season, made it to overwintering, two strong hives’s just need the chutzpah now to do splits very soon which than would make me closer to a bee keeper as opposed to a bee watcher . Thanks for the videos! Central NH

[@j0njon836]

Thanks ,helped me just when i needed it !

[@kristopherhampton-zc8yc]

Love it. I’m new and willing to try it after this. I think my bees are ready to swarm

[@miha7748]

Hello from Billings, Montana. Thank you for your video. I am new to keeping bees. I set up two hives in mid April from two four frame Nucs purchased from a local apiary. Last week. June 15, 2020. I returned from work at 1200. The temp was in the mid 80’s after several days of rain and one of the hives swarmed into a tree nearby at about 35ft up in a branch. A friend and I geared up and climbed and cut and lowered the branch but on the way down a ball broke off. I didn’t realize it was the queen. She flew to another tree about 50ft up. At this point we just waved goodbye. I had read on a website that you should leave the bees alone the first year. After watching your videos. I realize that was a mistake. I went into the hives and thoroughly inspected. Not too sure what I was looking at but found a few empty cups. I also put a queen excluder and supers. I have two brood boxes on each and they are almost full. I realize I after your videos that I should be in the boxes inspecting them every 7-10 days. At this point in the season do you think that the swarm will cause the hive to fail this winter or will there be time to recoup. Also in the hive that I think swarmed there is a frame in the brood box that is really strange. It has several stalactites of com in the middle of the frame in the middle of the box. Should I remove that frame? Do you think now is too late to start a split of the hive that didn’t swarm? Thanks I appreciate your work. God bless you for your time, effort and wisdom.

[@gypsygem9395]

It sounds like those "stalactites" were queen cells. Are you still keeping bees? It so I hope it's going well

[@scentsbyemebathbody3161]

Thank you I appreciate how you have a easy way to do it. !! I will be doing this method for sure as I’m not always sure about the queen or not …🐝🐝🏡👍💕

[@oussamazahri6199]

Many thanks for this great and simplified video. God bless.

[@nathanielmcneal5835]

I fervently respect you as a man. Your the only other one i know of that does keep bees without a suit. The other being myself. Itd be nice to pick your brain about this as im starting freshly myself.

[@BKBees]

Thank you. I do less "without a suit" work these days, as I normally have to run through 30 - 50 hives in an hour or so, and that can get a bit crazy with no suit on. You can comment or message me any questions you have and I'll try my best to get my thoughts and answers to you as soon as I can.

[@nathanielmcneal5835]

@@BKBees my biggest question i have right now is breeding. I know the european Cornelius has issues with foul brood mites. I know the Russian purebreds have a very high resistance and grooming of the mite, my goal is to keep a few russian purebred hives, a few European hives, multitudes of feral hives, and as well I hope to attempt wich is my biggest issue, to hybridize successfully without destroying, or creating aggressive breads of honeybee. The issue im uncertain about is how to properly, and naturally bread next generations of hives, and how i would go about successfully passing the best genetics among the hives to combat foul brood mites. If the natural grooming habits of the Russian pure bred can be passed along to the european Cornelius and the feral populations my theory is it could go along way to offset at least one danger that the bees have. If on a whole feral populations of honeybees could gain that grooming habit and begin cleaning there areas of this mite it could in fact turn the tides for the wild honeybees.

[@nathanielmcneal5835]

@@BKBees i need help to do this right. Along side what we humans have and are doing to decimate most all life on the planet, the bees have enough on there plate to handle. If even one portion can be offset in their favor it could go to save them in the future.

[@BKBees]

@@nathanielmcneal5835 there are tons of breeding programs working to develop bees with an ability to resist and battle the varroa mite. They are all promising, but none have found the golden ticket just yet. As a beginning beekeeper, what you should do is get very good at keeping bees alive. Don't worry about breeding resistant bees until you can keep bees alive with all of the tools at your disposal. That means be vigorous with mite assessments, be prepared to treat, learn to split hives and to feed hives and to assess issues. Learn to get hives well set up for winter and then learn to manage the survivors in the spring. After all of that then I would start trying to build up a large population of bees. It takes tons of bees to make good queens so your goal should be at least 50, better yet 100 or more hives. When you have that type of population then you can start a breeding program. Bring in queens from other operations every year, be meticulous in your mite assessments, and propagate the ones that keep them in check.

[@nathanielmcneal5835]

@@BKBees thank you. Where is your local? I have one that was a swarm cought 2 3 weeks ago its healthy to. Im adding a box in a day or so since they should have had time to build up. I am also looking for accurate information on mite treatments to.

[@reneebrown5598]

The good thing about moving a queen is it should stop any thoughts of swarming. So win/win.

[@Holdfast]

If you are splitting to avoid a swarm wouldn't you need to know which box had the queen and move the queen cells to the other box (or destroy them?)

[@ME_MeAndMyBees]

Renee.... If you Split, the Swarmy Hives their population is depleted. So more than likely any Queen Cells, made, where a Queen is, will be chewed down. And in the 'Hopelessly Queenless' Box, any Queen Cell(s) remaining* will be chewed down (killed) by the First Virgin Queen to emerge ! * Sometimes a Virgin Queen may emerge, kill others, go out, 'mate' (not well, or at all) and in time, you get a Worker laying Colony : that will demise.... That's Nature for you. A case of re Queening... Or doing another Split. Repeat !!! Hope this helps. 😏 Happy Beekeeping 2021. 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝

[@ME_MeAndMyBees]

Sorry... Not Renee. For Holdfast... 😏

[@eastsussexbeesandwildlife5801]

Great video, thanks. Beat wishes from all of us in the UK. Peter, East Sussex, UK

[@anthonypayne6032]

Thanks this takes the fear out of my first year in splitting my hives. I have had two swarms I think from the same hive. Did a split on the other just making sure the queen was not on the frames I took (well I did not see her) and took food brood and bees. replaced the frame in the fist hive with drawn out empty frames. one frame I took had a queen cell capped. bees seem to be going in and out. The itch to open it is hard to resist. I still need more wood ware boxes frames. My first year and need to build my Apiary I would like 4 -5 hives before our long could Idaho winter.

[@kenburke9272]

excellent and straight forward! thanks

[@treetrimmerguy2]

Soon will be starting on my second year of bee keeping. Will be splitting hives soon using this method. It worked for my two hives last year. All four hives are still alive so far after winter. I think I will be splitting them again very shortly. Still a little nervous about getting it right.

[@gwcrispi]

How about an update on this split? It has been exactly the timeframe you talked about. Also, after doing your splits how much new space did you give to each hive?

[@titusmukwezvaii336]

Man youre doing what you love,thank you gor making ne feel it too,im in love

[@DiazGrowsFood]

Thank you from a new bee keeper 🤙🤙

[@edaptrob7407]

I would like to be a beekeeper but I do not know where to start and I have already asked a lot of people but nobody knows

[@dkaiyumi]

Nice video im also a Beekeeper here in Brazil. I like your videos

[@jellybellystudios]

You make it sound very easy!

[@MrSebrogers]

Thanks. Very useful.

[@erinpater2023]

These videos you’ve made on doing splits have been super helpful. I did mine today based on how you said to do it. But I didn’t remember everything exactly right… I wonder if I can go back out and move a few bees around tomorrow since it’s only 24 hours after splitting. Like putting the queen/lower populated deep in the new location.. now seeing this video again, that makes sense. Thanks!

[@childrenofourlord357]

Thanks for the video. Looking forward to trying it out.

[@LikodsaPayag]

thanks for teaching us sir' very inspiring ...

[@MikeFonnesbeck]

Question : for this walk away split can you just set the two boxes side by side, splitting the third box along with empty frames, in the same location? Like my bees are in a specific area of my yard. Can I set the split box right next to each other, or do they need to be moved to a different location in the yard? What will stop the bees in the non-Queen hive from following the scent to the Queen and just go back into the original box? Thank you so much for posting this and the information.

[@gileshoney5796]

Very awesome. I am hoping to get in a few splits this year.

[@adam1299]

If I wasn’t able to find the queen how soon should I check them both? Would like to know which hive she ended up in.

[@ryanriche9422]

Thanks.. very informative!

[@rthies99]

Great video. Quick question. I would like to do a split myself. All of my equipment is full, so I was going to try to overwinter some nucs. I was thinking of just taking the queen with a few frames of bees and supplies out of the hive then just leaving everything else for the hive to requeen. This way I will break the brood cycle in the current hive, hopefully get a decent mated queen and then have my old reliable queen in a nuc box in case something goes wrong and also hope to overwinter her for sale next spring. Thoughts?

[@BKBees]

I have no problem with that plan, but there is still tons of time to build them up to at least a 10 framer.

[@kathyhathaway8823]

Wow I know this is a old video but it is good to see . Have not saw you this year and have been wounding how you all are . Hope you are doing well . Looking forward to more of your video’s. Thanks

[@paulvanmidden9017]

very nice to see you do this without veil and gloves, well done. the queenless colony will surely breed more than one queen ? is it essential to inspect and remove surplus queen cells and also does this stop the colony with the queen from wanting to swarm ? cheers

[@BKBees]

If you're making a split because they have swarm cells you should remove all but 2 or so of the cells. In a case like this, there is no reason. They aren't going to swarm and the first queen to emerge will deal with the extra cells. Yes removing the queen and bees and brood will definitely eliminate or reduce their swarm tendency.

[@paulvanmidden9017]

well worth knowing this, great cheers

[@genewalter1414]

Great information. Do you put queen excluders on these single deep hives that you just split and add a super?

[@ThrivingCountry]

How far do you need to move the newly split box?

[@MarcusNattan]

Love it nice way of splitting

[@naturalwitchery]

Great video!

[@f.blangi6633]

Great video.

[@waughsathletics]

Love your videos❤

[@hamlakehoneybees2693]

Hey dude love your videos. So I just rewatched this because there is a good chance I will have to do this in the spring. My question is how is the honey production with split hives? Will there still be a honey crop from both hives or will both splits be to weak to produce a crop?

[@BKBees]

That depends on a lot of things but if you set out strong splits early in the year and have a good summer honey flow you'll likely get a decent amount of honey. Play it by ear though and be prepared for any eventuality.

[@ME_MeAndMyBees]

Ham... If you do late Summer or Autumn (Fall) Splits... The Bees have a good Six months of Maturity to go through. ✓ Meaning the following Spring they are Busting big time to make Honey* ! 🍯 Splits in the late Summer / Autumn are done AFTER the Honey Harvest, so it isn't depleted in Volume, unlike a possible Spring Split (!) * Subject to your location, the climate, resources, etc etc. Hope this helps. 😏 Happy Beekeeping 2021. 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝

[@Dougarrowhead]

@@ME_MeAndMyBees why would anyone split hives in the fall. The whole point is to prevent swarms. I think youre confused.

[@KovietUnionDefector]

Brilliant video, can I ask how far away did you move your hive to. Your method would be perfect for me. Thanks!

[@gypsygem9395]

I did a similar split about six weeks ago, I only placed the new (nuc) box about 15ft (4.5m) from the first. I've seen videos where (much more experienced) beeks do splits side by side with the old hive!

[@lyndadraper8684]

Thank you 🐝👍

[@DrMZK]

Awesome 👏 thank you 🙏

[@allenc2289]

What's your thoughts on just move the split somewhere else in the bee yard or just turn them around in another direction,because if you don't have another place to carrying them to.

[@robparke9216]

Your bees are well behaved 👍

[@bryanrice5259]

If they have brood, they can make a new queen. However, new queens go on numptial flights at a particular time. My question is, when is the best time to split them, and shouldn't it coincide when they naturally send out new queens in swarms?

[@mrcshoneybees]

How long will it take them to raise a new Queen? How soon can I open the hive to check to see if they started a Queen cell? great videos. Thanks for making them.

[@BKBees]

There will be a virgin queen in the box after two or so weeks. If you wanted to check for queen cells you could do that after a week. At that point they should be capped. Be careful, though, when separating frames and pulling the frames out of the box, so that you don't damage the queen cells.

[@markteel7548]

So after you split a double deep. Do you immediately add top box since that split box is full? I have very healthy colony in a double deep brood setup with one deep super. 3rd year they survived winter i want to expand hive.

[@johnbeard7404]

Excellent. Thank you.

[@snaqvi2399]

I split the give in two. Both of my deeps were packed..Since I don't know which has the queen when do I add more boxes, supers, etc?

[@jljjoubert3611]

Goodday sir. I've seen the people spoke a lot of multiple splits from a single hife. I feel to be safe you can make a split to 2 new hives. But more than that I can't see it. From where does these other frames come. Or is there a specific method to go about? Thanks Cobus🐋

[@AGTtactical]

Wow!! Thank you!! Great help!

[@ourusefulyard]

You think this can be done safely before the last frost date or better to wait until after last frost? Thank you.

[@coyoxx]

Very informative, thank you

[@denysantonenko3742]

I have a wild swarm of bees living in my chimney for three years already that I want to capture next spring to put them in a hive... around the beginning of April. They’ve swarmed this passed May. I was wondering what should I do in this situation? Wait for them to swarm and then catch them and transfer them to the hive or catch them in April before they swarm and then divide the two colonies into two hives? Can you please help me? I have no idea what to do. Thanks for the video! It was very very helpful!!!

[@chrisr1851]

Thanks for the video! I am thinking about splitting a second year give. I have heard that one is supposed to block off the entrance of the break away colony to discourage the two reassembling back into one, is that not necessary?

[@vincerieger6143]

Thanks

[@mongeswildhoneyranchito2866]

Awesome video brother!🤙 Greetings from AriZona🌵🌞🌄

[@willdurant216]

Good stuff!

[@TammySIII]

These are the best way to split

[@johnhuffman7203]

How far apart do the original hive and new split, need to be from each other?

[@leeknight9063]

Hi. can i split my hives and put them opposite sides of my yard? roughly 100yrds apart

[@MrsPattyann12]

Your video is the one I finally found that told me just what I needed to know. Thank you!

[@BKBees]

Thank you for telling me that, I love hearing that I helped out some fellow beeks. Good luck this year.

[@MrsPattyann12]

B&K Bees it’s been a few weeks since I split my hive. It worked out and they are multiplying!

[@vdam6217]

I see a whole lot of brood and larva but not eggs. Can i still make the split? Great video!

[@BKBees]

There must be very young larvae in the hive. The correctly aged larvae are actually more difficult to see than eggs, so, I would urge you to either get a mated queen or double check and find some eggs.

[@vdam6217]

Thank you!

[@liteseeds]

Thanks for the great information! Maybe ‘How to Wednesday’s”

[@BKBees]

Awesome idea, but I'm not sure how long i could keep that going.

[@KyleCowden]

Your bees seem really chill. If I'm just inspecting and know I won't be causing too much of a racket, I'll wear just a veil so I don't get popped in the face while holding a box of bees. I notice you're not wearing any protection. I don't know that mine are that chill; do you have a problem getting stung?

[@BKBees]

I used to go with no veil or jacket all of the time. Nowadays I have too much bee work to do and too little time to do it in, so I rarely work bees without a jacket or veil. That being said, if I were to take my time the way I used to, I could work most days with nothing... We pride ourselves in keeping mild tempered bees, and I immediately deal with hot hives.

[@calabogierusticfarmmarket387]

how would you do a split if you don't have a second location to put one of the hives?

[@dpratte]

Nice presentation and delivery. Going to try this this weekend. I assume a split during the 1st week in June will seriously impact honey production in the mother colony. Can you comment?

[@BKBees]

That depends on how strong of a split you pull, but yes, it will affect production. Consider running supers above a single brood box afterward.

[@MegaDavyk]

Here is something you could try instead of doing a split straight away. Put a queen exclude over the broad chamber and lift up one or 2 bushed frames of broad with eggs and a frame of pollen above the excluder then create a top entrance and walk away. A month later you will have a laying queen above the excluder as well as under. Mother and doughtier do not waist their time trying to get at each other on the excluder. You can leave it as a 2 queen hive for a while to really boast the hive if you like or you can give the new queen a week or 2 to lay some frames up then take her off with as many frames and store as you feel you can get away with without impacting the production of the parent hive too much. I would probably leave her there at least until her first 2 frames of brood are due to emerge. You can do this continuously as long as there are resources coming into the hive. I learnt this trick in Western Australia when I was experimenting with a second entrance at the top during a flow. Its so hot there they have 4 screened vents in the roof to turn the hive into a chimney and I simply removed one of the screens

[@woodyforest7308]

Dude is rocking an owsome beard

[@jasonlacount3355]

Nice video. Did you come back later and add a second brood box on the splits to give them more space?

[@BKBees]

I'm sure I did, because I did this video during the nectar flow, but I don't specifically remember, to be honest.

[@jasonlacount3355]

@@BKBees Thanks for the quick response. I am in that situation right now. Two full brood boxes coming out of Winter. Need to split. I have watched a lot of videos and yours is the easiest. This will be my second Spring with them, so I am a newbie to this.

[@BKBees]

@@jasonlacount3355 let me know if you have any questions while you're splitting, but if you've watched this video and others I'm sure you're going to do a good job.

[@allenc2289]

For someone who only has one hive at a bee yard don't you think this will be tuff or taking a chance if your only depending on the drones from the other hive to breed with the emerging queen?

[@BKBees]

Drones travel a long distance for mating, sometimes up to 5 or 6 miles (considerably farther than foragers traveling for food). So, you have little, if any, control over which drones your queen will mate with. If you live in the mainland United States, you'll be fine. There are enough colonies just about everywhere to give you a good shot at a successful queen mating.

[@dougmorgan4766]

You've got to start some where. Do a split with 5 frames in each box and balance the brood, eggs, stors, etc. in each box. Find the queen and know what box she's in. Like wise with drones, but you can put a few more drones in the queenless box for a boost.

[@davidsoloninka7742]

Your strategy of "splitting every hive every year" makes sense to me, however, at some point I will have way too many hives/colonies i.e. my goal is to work with ten hives max. Currently I have three, this year I will have six and next year I will have 12 etc... What are your thoughts regarding myself maintaining only 10 hives/colonies?... but at the same time I like the idea of splitting every hive every year. Thank you Sincerely, DS

[@gypsygem9395]

Sell the extras as nucs - the income generated will go some way to cover your expenses for your remaining hives.