# What to do next?



## throrope (Dec 18, 2008)

About eight years ago my first package had a non-laying queen. Rossman shipped a new one the day I called. That September I learned about our summer dearth when I found my hive consisted of two frames. With heavy feeding the girls rallied and made it through the winter. The next spring I caught their second swarm for my second hive. Eventually that first hive became seven in addition to a couple failed top bar experiments.

Last year only one of my then five hives survived. The sixth and seventh went with a friend to North Central PA years ago. (His wife has a real funny story about that adventure.) While every area, keeper and habit yields different results, many agree a harvest from a first year package is a gift. That said, for my money splits achieve the same goal. After that experience, my plans include avoiding the need for packages completely by over-splitting into all available gear and combining to create strong hives for winter.

Hope this helps your decisions and please keep us posted.


----------



## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

It is probably not quite time to split unless you have drones flying or drone brood with purple eyes. If your bees cover most of a deep hivebody, you probably have enough to split but more would be better. There are lots of split descrptions written up all over this forum if not in this sliver, so I won't repeat everything. I suggest you go read the material on mdasplitter.com It has good information on splitting and vorroa control. The old bird you bought the bees from should be hearing from you too. He will hav the right answers for your area. Good luck


----------



## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

In my opinion, you're always better off with queens from you're own area. Especially if you have good bees you're happy with. Where you live I'd guess you won't be splitting for a month or two.


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

ago.

>Main question: where do I go from here? 

Where do you want to go? How fast do you want to get there? If you want to grow quickly and you can spare the money, it's hard to beat buying bees. If not, then it's hard to beat raising your own.


----------



## farmerdean (Feb 29, 2012)

I want to expand but not rapidly. I'm thinking add 3 or 4 this year. Maybe go to 20 or 25 eventually.


----------

