# would making a split now be smart or really, really stupid?



## DaisyNJ (Aug 3, 2015)

I would follow local mentor suggestion. I messed up many things in the first year (and continue to do so), but I dont regret splitting. I lost two splits in September, but still had 3 more to learn and took into winter. Had they not swarmed (and I decide to split), I could have ended up with nothing into winter.


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## Matt_inSC (May 12, 2015)

I'd split it, especially if it's your only hive. Having more than one hive offers all kinds of options when the needs arise.


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## Steve in PA (Jan 26, 2015)

After reading about others who had done early splits on this site and sending a few PM's I decided to make a split last year around June 1 of a hive I just bought in mid April as a Nuc. When I inspected the split I made a week later I found queen cells on 2 frames. Not wanting to waste those cells I took another frame from the original frame and made 2 3-frame nucs from the original split. All this was during our peak flow season. 

All 3 hives wintered well and some have already been split again this season. If mating flights are successful my original 1 hive will become 7 before June.

If your mentor is advising to try it then have at it. It's all a learning experience.


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## JasonA (Aug 29, 2014)

I made splits after the flow last year. It was a lot harder getting them built up. If the hive is strong I would make it now while we are on the flow. Remove the queen and a couple frames of bees, brood and stores to a nuc. Let the strong hive make a new queen since they will have the majority of the resources.


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## whiskers (Aug 28, 2011)

Way down there at the end you mention sugar syrup. Make it as you need it. One to one dissolves easily in hot tap water but doesn't keep well.
Bill


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## mlanden (Jun 19, 2016)

whiskers said:


> Way down there at the end you mention sugar syrup. Make it as you need it. One to one dissolves easily in hot tap water but doesn't keep well.
> Bill


Hi, Whisk -- I generally freeze what I don't use, and thaw as needed. My old mentor told me today he uses a spoonful of lemon juice (!) per gallon of sugar syrup to keep it viable. I'm not sure how effective that is, but ..... that's what he told me.


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## volare71 (Jun 1, 2016)

I would wait until June to split. It sounds like they are just beginning to build.

If you're not sure what to do, do nothing!


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## mlanden (Jun 19, 2016)

volare71 said:


> I would wait until June to split. It sounds like they are just beginning to build.
> 
> If you're not sure what to do, do nothing!


Howdy, Vol. I'm not certain of that. Here in eastern NC, June is (from what the old timers tell me) when the dearth begins, so waiting until then could be an issue or maybe even inviting disaster. Of course, doing it now could be too, maybe .....


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## schmism (Feb 7, 2009)

being able to buy a mated queen which this is the right time for, will take a lot of the stress out of makeing the split. easy call for ~$20 this time of year.


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## The Evil Chip (May 19, 2012)

I'm in roughly the same sort of climate in Virginia. And I'm very aggressive on nucs. I would caution a little patience here. You have roughly 7 frames going gangbusters, that's only 2 frames more than a standard nuc. I'd wait for another brood cycle(lets say 4 weeks) then see how they're doing. If OK, go ahead and make a split, understanding that you will have to feed both hives for the rest of the year to build them up.


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