Making Splits Without Finding Your Queen: Splitting Part 1

Part 1 of 3 about different methods for splitting your hives.
If you are unable to or uncomfortble with finding queens or spotting eggs in your hives, this is a method that will still allow you to safely split your bees.
Queen excluder is necessary.
Follow me on Instagram @devan.beekeeper

[@darlenasturgis9575]

Finally something easy for a new beekeeper to follow without annoying background music. Thanks!

[@bradhughes4494]

Awesome. Thanks Devan. Looking forward to parts 2 & 3!

[@rickybourgoin2960]

Thanks I really enjoy your channel. I am new to bee keeping and just got my first hive up this month and plan on doing it as a single brood chamber. So I find your videos very educational. Thanks keep up the great work

[@SquirrelsForAll]

Devan, this is a wonderful series, thank you very much for creating and posting.

[@zebrabing]

just done my split today. thanks for this devan, really appreciated, from lincolnshire England

[@theemergencyprepguy]

Devan, you should do more videos! Yours are my favorite beekeeping videos! I followed your teaching and my first hive survived its first harsh east Idaho winter! Hope to split off a second hive this year.

[@PhillipHall01]

Very easy way to do it!! I enjoy your channel. Have a great day!!

[@RichBlueWaterHunter]

Thank you Devan for your time

[@duncanmoore3081]

Thanks Devan. Only been beekeeping for 8 months, semi-arid conditions in the Karoo, South Africa. Had a drought too so it has been a slow start to my beekeeping. Just wanted to say thanks for all the help, well I am never going to have snow, but I enjoy those ones too

[@DevanRawn]

No problem, good luck with the drought down there. Keep an eye on resources coming into the hive and don't hesitate to feed pollen substitute if they're desperate.

[@charlieandpattisplace]

Thanks Devan. Please keep them coming.

[@treetrimmerguy2]

Thank you very much. That will be very helpful as I seem to have a very hard time finding the queen in my hives. Only wish I would have found this method sooner. Again, thank you very much.

[@peterlightbody8443]

Great easy to understand for a novice to do Thank you

[@Lsmith-ly2cm]

Devan no new content ? been looking. You have a great site. thank you

[@mariannewillis1990]

really helpful, clear and concise. Thank you

[@josephsettembrino5142]

Great video. Thx for sharing. I'm a new bee keeper and I have learned so much from you. I noticed you like to dive. Me too. I'm in south florida and I own a commercial fishing and diving business. Let me know if you ever come to the ft lauderdale area. Thanks again Devan.

[@DevanRawn]

oh, awesome. I try to dive down in Florida at least one time throughout the year. I'm a technical and cave diver so I love to stay up northand dive in the caves, But I would love to get down into the ocean at some point.

[@ChestnutGlenBees]

I like the idea of the magnetic hive tool holder on your belt. Please share the brand or where you got it. I may just make my own with a generic belt clip and a rare earth magnet, but am curious about the one you're using in this video.

[@hatfieldmccoy2359]

Enjoy your channel and videos!

[@marialevy7679]

Great video! to the point! Thank you Devan

[@christinelarrygardam597]

Well done absolutely brilliant presentation

[@hosseinheidari4950]

Perfect. This is the best easy way to split.

[@MrBeachbums5]

Very well done - the video is excellent!

[@storm3772]

the best videos so far

[@mrtraumaboyy4098]

Awesome!! Thank you!! How do you store a honey frame long term for use in a split?

[@lindseyrenner]

Your bees are so much nicer than my bees! I call them my SOBees.

[@uptank8461]

Hi Devan Like your videos a lot very interesting can i ask where did you get your hive tool belt from? any details will be great.

[@jrmars5434]

What about a queen for the new colony? Will you let the bees raise a new queen or will you provided a mated queen?

[@galtobell1]

Good job! 🐝🐝

[@stephentackitt8683]

Great information thanks. Two questions , first on the inner cover I seen a small opening. Is that an upper entrance? Second question, on the split you moved with no queen, are they enough there to make a queen or should you introduce a new queen. Thanks again Stephen

[@babyhuey1878]

Yes, he has enough nursing bees to draw out a queen cell if not multiple queen cells. Just make sure that your split has at least a frame or two with freshly laid eggs. I do splits a bit differently. But his way works too.

[@johnsavage2808]

Thanks for the reply

[@janemartin8269]

I am a new beekeeper and I am watching your first video of making a split without finding the queen where you are doing it with a single brood box. I have double brood boxes so when I pick out the frames of brood, food etc and put into another deep, do I put a Queen excluder on top of the two deeps and put the new box that I have put the brood and food in on top of the two deeps I took the frames from?

[@taloot123]

devan u are very good and smart hope from god.. that u will be good

[@robinfrazier5940]

Well little buddy I'm sorry to tell you this but there's a lot of people don't believe in your single chamber but I think it's a great thing to do with your being so that you don't overwork them and keep the plastic out of the damn boxes too this is old Rob in Texas

[@ipmoroca]

great work buddy

[@64324037]

When you do a split, can you still use original hive to produce honey that year?

[@lynjenkins1562]

Great job Devan. Thanks for sharing. What would you guess is your success ratio on splits?

[@PhillipHall01]

LJ Hello LJ

[@DevanRawn]

Hey, not exactly sure what you mean. I don't recall ever making splits and having them fail. Actually, that's not true, last year when it rained for a month straight I had a few nucs starve to death early in the summer. My fault for not getting back and filling their frame feeders. But I always introduce a mated queen, or a queen cell that I've raised.

[@lynjenkins1562]

Was just wondering how many times they succeed in making their own queens vs the times you have to add a queen. Or do you always raise your own queens?

[@dennisrice456]

Did you produce the part 3 of your series, can't find one with an appropriate title.

[@raysbees7650]

Do you not get stung? How often,how many? I’m a first year beek. I started with 2 Nucs and now have 15 by years end with swarms and want to split them next year!

[@johnneumann9902]

again.....where are you Devan...... we miss your videos........ and updates......

[@148DMC]

Hi Devan are you going to do a third part?

[@charleneshinsky1248]

love your info! Cant find Split #3 info?

[@ariespaningbatan9070]

Hi. When you split the colony like that, how long will the new colony have their queen?

[@RichBlueWaterHunter]

Thank you

[@dastevoe1]

Awesome vids. I just split two hives (both colonies were double brood chambers), I didn't find the queens, both were very full almost honey/nectar bound (I think as this is only my second year). I took one brood chamber from each colony an set it on a stand ~15m away, so I don't know where the queens are. I'm hoping they will make their own. Should I put another brood box on each or any of them ? how about feeding ? what about honey supers to let them make room ? There were no queen cells only cups w/no eggs. BTW..... I'm only 45min. N. of you so would honey flow be the same ? Thanks

[@DevanRawn]

Ok, well, keep in mind our summer isn't that long. Hoping bees will raise their own queen leaves them without a laying queen for almost a month. So the queenless ones aren't going to be very productive for quite a while. I can't tell you how to manage your bees from here. Feed them if they need feed, give them another box if they need space - you have to look at your bees and make those decisions for yourself.

[@_BJ123]

Devin, you need to come back bro, we like your style 😎

[@attiliospizzeria3409]

Devan, what happens to the brood box without a queen?

[@hazelhazelton1346]

I wish I had thought of this when I did my split a couple of weeks ago. I just divided them and hoped the queen would be where I wanted her to. ^.^ ...She was.

[@rayjohnson8329]

What kind of papers do you have stapled on the boxes?

[@thehench4018]

you cant put all the additional frames the same place the box will swarm, put them in between the frames that the bees are on, that way they will work on them from both angles and quicker too with no swarming problems.

[@josephfuentes9689]

Did you get stung on your arms ? Why or why not? Thanks

[@kennylecroy9706]

If i pull a frame out of a 5 frame nuc with the queen on it and put it in a 2 frame box do i have to move it out of the yard ?

[@jamborstarjaba1648]

What type of frame do you take in another colony

[@natserog]

so the bees in the top deep that you took away will make a queen out of the young eggs?

[@RG-gi5bt]

Where did you get the magnetic tool belt?

[@ntujqubqab3479]

If no queen in there new box, will all the bees stay or will it eventually all go back to the original box ? N why you never get stung ? What is the secret ?

[@vedranknezevic3453]

God bless you brother

[@jljjoubert3611]

Goodday sir. Part 3 of splitting hives still coming? Safe day,Cobus🐳

[@umadbrooo6947]

Did you put a new queen or are they going to make one themselves

[@davidtraud851]

What is a double brood chamber?

[@brokentv2054]

Can i make bee splits all year or special times? Thnx

[@mikej9089]

I thought this video was for beginners but you left alot of important questions unanswered for us. We are left to think the tranfered bees and frames are to produce their own queen? I guess that would work for us that live down south but does location and time matter? Also what happens if we use new frames with base plastic foundation and not have an old built up one? What would happen if queen did get moved over in your scenario?

[@mikej9089]

Followup Well i tried it with 2 frames of Nannys, No Queen and now 30 days latter i have 2 Drones and a Queen. Weak hive but they are trying to push the Drones out. It will stay weak till the queen flies off to mate. Now 2 mts and the hive has grown and is stronger but it was a tuff summer, had to supplement each week . The new hive is more aggressive then the old. I cannot remove a frame with one getting in my face or stinging my hand.

[@colinlyne]

Hello Devon. If you didn’t spot the queen and she REMAINED on one of the frames in the new brood box, what would happen?

[@mikej9089]

Great question , i hope someone well experienced answers. Also what happens if we use new frames with base plastic foundation and not have an old built up one?

[@notafuckinpplperson8233]

Nothing happens. She will start laying and life will go on as normal for that hive. The now queen less hive will start making a new virgin queen.

[@ericshipplett3517]

I am assuming that the box you moved, that box without a queen, will make a new queen on their own.

[@cyrusf.4039]

Does this method work on the assumption that there is a high likely hood of eggs on those brood frames taken out of the parent hive without verifying that there are eggs?

[@DevanRawn]

I add a queen or queen cell to the split. I realize now with all these comments that I've messed up this edit and didn't explicitly talk about it - I was planning it for the original idea and will make a video about it in the future. I also didn't expect to have so many people assume I would let the bees raise their own emergency queen cells.

[@johnsavage2808]

Thanks

[@RaySarasin]

A good way now add the queen after

[@CircuitBreaker256]

It's such a shame you've stopped making videos Devan. I really like your style and way of handling bees. I think part two is here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3_Odaufid9_pbs But I don't think you ever made part 3, am I right? Anyway, it looks like after the end of part 1 you would then (a day or two later maybe) add a new queen (presumably in a cage with a chew-through fondant door) or a queen cell (presumably with a protector around it). That would be all that was needed, except to check back after a couple of weeks to look for brood. Is that right?

[@CircuitBreaker256]

He's not expecting them to raise their own queen. He specifically transferred across sealed brood. If he was expecting the bees to make their own queen he'd specifically look for eggs and transfer those across. At least, that's what I'd imagine. But he states that he always puts in a queen cell or mated queen, because he raises them himself, as you can see in his other videos.

[@MrsPattyann12]

Darn it I was hoping it was going to be that simple. If I cannot find the queen I’m not able to do your simplest method. Thanks anyway.

[@robertjacquin]

Where did you get your belt?

[@khawk7365]

What mic do you use?

[@matthewgengos9077]

Mate......spent an age looking for part 3 "......git a wriggle on highly watchable and informative

[@xtreme50ae]

How many hives do you have total? Do you make a living doing this?

[@AlecL]

So the new hive will make their own queen?

[@DeathlordSlavik]

Even though this is an old comment I will explain, a queenless hive will pick a few eggs or young larva and raise them into virgin queens this is done by feeding them royal jelly the whole time they are developing rather then just for the first 3 days of life like with normal bees. The hive even construct special cells called queen cells that are much bigger then normal cells the virgin queens will emerge and after a few days leave the hive and mate with a male then come back to the hive and begin laying eggs. I skipped over a few things but I feel that is enough to answer your question

[@pauldow1648]

Another option is to introduce a mated queen of good genetics.

[@darrellhamner4608]

Did I miss parts 2 & 3? It's 9 months later.

[@chelbert7838]

Should I add a queen to the new box??

[@_BJ123]

Yes, after u move the split 2miles away, put a new queen box in it, then come back in 2 days, check on the queen, and then relocate back to ur yard a week later....I do my relocating at night...

[@PaulDrummer1]

could you please do a video about apiary set up and placement of the hives in your apiary?

[@ms2333]

How many times would you get stung on average doing something like this?

[@DevanRawn]

haha, I'm not sure. probably 8/10 times I wouldn't get stung, 1/10 times i would put my finger in a bad place and cause a bee to sting me, 1/10 times i might run into a more defensive hive that would sting me once or twice.

[@ms2333]

Do you think that's more to do with your handling, i.e. smart use of smoke, being careful not to squish or roll bees, and noticing when you're pushing the hive too far and triggering defenses, or is it all to do with temperament? Do you think an average novice could roll up to your hives and do this sting-free?

[@DevanRawn]

probably 50-50 handling and temperament. Yes I think a novice could work in my hives sting free. Just start off slow and deliberate and before you know it you'll be whipping through frames like it's nothing.

[@ruthannjones5873]

I only have one deep brood box and don't really want another. I intend to primarily use medium boxes. I currently have one deep and one medium for a queen to lay in. If I wanted to split, which would be better to hold the queen? I'd need to let the other box requeen themselves. Because the frames don't match I wouldn't be able to move deep frames into the medium box.

[@izinyosib821]

A simple 3 inch "eke" spacer can temporarily be used to put deep frames in a medium box. The medium box goes on top of the eke. You can replace the deep frames with medium frames, also temporarily. There will be some comb built below the medium frame in the deep space, but you can use that later and put it in foundation-less frames with rubber bands and use those when you put everything in their original setup again.

[@solarweatheraware3880]

Why would they make another queen if they already have one putting a queen excluder in only prevents the queen from going to the top Super and laying more eggs. Using this method I highly doubt another queen will be made

[@RajinderSingh-cz7tt]

👍

[@victoriasumchanka]

Sorry, I'm very new to it. I thought the queen Bee is there to orchestrate the process of taking care of larva.Who is doing it in the hive with no queen? How a new queen will get there? Thank you

[@stevenr4652]

Queens Just lay eggs. The nurse bees take care of the brood (larva)

[@victoriasumchanka]

@@stevenr4652 I understand that. I just think that queen releases pheromones and that's how working bees know what to do. Also, How a new queen will get there?

[@jljjoubert3611]

Goodday reader's. Part (3) on splitting,still in the pipeline?.Cobus🐳

[@eddyshkang9235]

Do not understand why you should shaked/brushed the bees off, after all they are going to come up again . Shaking off the bees will risk injuring the queen incase it is there !

[@baddestbees5924]

Eddy SH Kang so she don't get "trapped" with split.If u shake bees off u know u don't have her...

[@mikej9089]

Why couldn’t the queen be moved on the frames to new box and have the workers in old box produce a new one?

[@xshanghu]

Yo

[@ryanedmonds2244]

I guess you add a queen later?

[@saschathinius7082]

if they are queenless and have eggs or very young larvae... they'll make an emergency queen...

[@DevanRawn]

Yes, I always add a mated queen or a queen cell that I've raised. I would NEVER recommend allowing the bees to requeen themselves by rasing an emergency queen cell. I'll get to it in a video one day.

[@michiwood6856]

Devan Rawn Hi Devan, I'm a new beekeeper and learning tons from all you're videos which I appreciate greatly. Why would you never let the bees make their own queen? I was guessing that was what you were doing until I read here that you never do, can you explain why you wouldn't? Thanks again.

[@saschathinius7082]

Devan Rawn i'm very interested in the why

[@johnsavage2808]

yer me too because i really think this is strupid idea

[@johnsavage2808]

mate why would u shake the bees of the frames. when u r just ganna let the bees go back there. why not just take the frames and the bees and put in yr split.

[@DevanRawn]

The whole point was to make sure the queen is down in the original box. For people who aren't confident in finding a queen, just get all the bees off of each frame and let them come back on through the queen excluder. That's the point, and title of the video.

[@Filimon32]

....big deal ...if you take the mother all right ..if not the other family make a new queen of 1..2...or 3 dayw egg....so simple......end.The theme is akari varroa do you read me end

[@tvideo1189]

You start by saying this version is for the complete beginner, yet you bring out a box with all sorts of frames the beginner WON'T HAVE. See the problem???? Furthermore, if you don't put a feeder on that split, you are going to have even more problems.

[@_BJ123]

First off,, I never put a feeder on my splits and I have no problems,, and 2nd, this is a perfect video for a beginner... every beginner has these frames, if not, then the beginner hasn't done his homework...

[@pauldow1648]

👍