# Split question ? for Connecticut beeks



## GRIMBEE (Apr 3, 2007)

When is a good time to spring split and let them make their own queen ? its gonna be 60 tomorrow. :]


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## WayneW (Jul 17, 2008)

GRIMBEE said:


> When is a good time to spring split and let them make their own queen ? its gonna be 60 tomorrow. :]


Not form Conn. I'm in NE PA. But i was wondering the same thing. Not sure i want to do an early split though. Im kinda hoping to get a decent spring honey crop, and am afraid that splitting them early would possibly hurt my chances of that. But if anyone wnats to chime in with info about splitting and PROBABLY still getting a crop (just a few pounds that i promised the gentleman that lets me keep my bees on his property) im all ears


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## NewBee2007 (May 6, 2007)

This is an interesting and timely topic. I too am curious as to how one knows whether they should split a hive and when.

How many frames of bees should there be before you think of splitting a hive?

I presume if there are supersedure queen cells and lots of bees then that is a definite sign...but if not overtly obvious, when should splits be made... and is there "a rule of thumb" regarding a certain number of frames covered by bees before you should think about making a split...or the opposite...how many frames of bees should you have in the spring in a healthy hive? Seeing as this is only my 2nd year and last year both hives died before Spring, I'm still green about what a strong spring hive looks like 

Thanks for any information you can provide to us newbees!


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

you _can_ make such a split with 1 frame of open brood/eggs (by putting the queen and the brood in separate hives)...this is a risky split, but there are circumstances under which this may work for you...it really depends on what your goal is.

there is another variable...you need drones to mate with the new queen. at least wait until you have capped drone cells...but much, much better to wait until there are drones flying.

deknow


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## Dragonfly130 (Dec 12, 2008)

IMO Definately too early in Ct for splits raising their own queens.You shouldn't have mature drones yet.

You need to have a good number of drones available for queen breeding.When your seeing drones they may not be ready yet and there is a test for them to know if their mature enough to breed.Somebody correct me if I'm wrong here but I believe if you push on a drone and it just sits there it's not mature yet.When they fly away when you push on em a little their mature enough to mate.

I'm from central Pa and would normally do walk away splits (full deep allowing the splits to raise their own queens) in late may-early june with good success.If your gonna buy queens for your splits you should be Ok earlier because your bought queen is already mated. I'm going with the second week of april here for splits with shipped in mated queens. Perhaps add a week or so for CT.It depends also on the strength of the colony to be split. A weak split may have trouble as you can still get cold weather in april.

Hope this helps!


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## papar (Apr 10, 2007)

*wait*

wait until the dandelions are in full bloom- they usually build up well from that point. good luck


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

No drones....no split unless you have a mated queen ready to go and you're a bit brave.


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## jeff123fish (Jul 3, 2007)

i dont start splitting hives before may 1. As far as getting a surplus a ten frame split with a queen for me will always produce a surplus. a ten frame split without a queen will (for me) only sometimes produce a surplus.



-Jeff


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## GRIMBEE (Apr 3, 2007)

Keep in mind it takes a queen 16 days to mature, and at least 2 weeks or more to mate. If one was to split now, she would be ready to mate in April when drones should be mature.


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## bleta12 (Feb 28, 2007)

jeff123fish said:


> i dont start splitting hives before may 1. As far as getting a surplus a ten frame split with a queen for me will always produce a surplus. a ten frame split without a queen will (for me) only sometimes produce a surplus.
> 
> 
> 
> -Jeff



I fully agree Jeff. Every year is different but very late April early May may be the right time. It is common sense that larger the split better the chances for surplus.
I do totally discourage the practice of letting the bees raise their emergency queen even in the middle of the summer when there are plenty of mature drones. 
I like Greembees optimism in his splitting question.
We are having 2 good days but still is winter and I am still in survival mood as far as beekeeping is concerned. Lets take care of the hives we have and then we will have plenty to split when time comes. Boy you now when that time comes, the bees push the top covers, at least that is what happens in my yards, that is what happens in every yard.

Gilman


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