# To Split?



## jcdillin (Apr 26, 2014)

Hello!

So i'm located in Northern Florida, I have a hive that I started from a NUC back in April of this year. So far they have had an amazing year and I harvested 1 medium of honey a month ago and I harvested another medium today. They currently have 2 mediums that are mixed with honey and brood on top of 1 deep.

They spend a lot of time bearded on the front of the hive and when you open it up it's packed from the bottom board to the top cover with bees. 

I'm wondering if I should take off one of the mediums that have mixed brood eggs, brood and honey and let that split raise a new queen?

That way I could put a new empty box on and give them a bit more space, or should I leave them and just pop another box on top.

Thoughts?


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

Sounds like they need the room either way give them a box or split them and give both more room, or extract the honey and put it back on.

You’re in FL you have plenty of time to get ready for winter.


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## jcdillin (Apr 26, 2014)

heh, you mean like those 4 cold days we get in Jan 

Makes sense, I think i'm gonna see if I can split them, at least that way I can get another hive out of all those bees.


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## e2_sla (Apr 28, 2014)

I would try the split. I just did one 5 days ago with a new queen from a local breeder that I have really wanted a queen from. SHe has been released and saw her today working the frames. So we now have a second hive that we hope will build and make it through the winter. She is in a single 10 frame deep, I have two frames out and feeding with an internal feeder, and they were taking the syrup, so that is good.... 

Go for it try the split... I enjoy my bees and I am ready to also harvest a super this next week as well. I have it above a new super with undrawn comb. I think I will harvest honey ,and then I will put frames back onto hive to clean out... 

Good luck, like my bees...


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

It's starting to get a little late even for North Fl. It will be middle October before your new queens brood starts to hatch. So with that in mind if you make a split make a big split. In the spring you can get away with a two frame split no problem, this time of year you need a pretty big split to give them enough bees to protect from robbing. Our honey flow is pretty much over, and the fall flow can be iffy at best. So feeding will be required. It is also harder to get queens mated this time of year, we have way too many afternoon pop up showers, and if we have a tropical system move in it could mess up mating weather for quite a few days in a row. So using a mated queen maybe your best bet, they should be easy to come by this time of year. If you want to do a walk away split wait until the end of Feb. or early March. I'm not saying a walk away split this time of year can't be done because it can but, it is going to be harder than it would be during the spring. I hope that helps. John


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## jcdillin (Apr 26, 2014)

Thanks for the advice John, as far as a split goes, I was thinking of taking the full 10 frame medium with all the brood/bees and honey with it to give them the best chance. I'll have to see if I can come by a mated queen.


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