# To late to split?



## ubiewan (Oct 25, 2012)

Hi everyone! I would like opinions on splitting some hives. I live in NE Ohio, been beekeeping for a number of years. We would like to increase the number of hives (we have 9 right now). How late is "to late" to make splits? My plan is to take a couple of frames from my strongest hive, and put them in a nuc box, let them raise their own queen. We are on a good flow right now, even so, I will feed them. 

What are the chances that the nuc will become strong enough to winter well? I know so much depends on weather, continued bloom and all that. I'd love opinions from beekeepers in the northern US. 

Thanks!

Ubiewan


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## Banemorth (Feb 28, 2015)

I know plenty of guys around here that do splits in August after the flow and overwinter them as 5 over 5 Nucs and I'm planning on doing the same this year. You've got more than enough time. Of course they introduce a queen when they do that but yours have enough time to raise them.


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## allan (Jul 7, 2013)

It is only June you should be fine to split.


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## R.Varian (Jan 14, 2014)

No its not to late to split. I suggest you google the OTS method that Mel uses in Mi. explains how to raise a quality queen when making splits.

mdasplitter.com


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## tulsafarmer (Feb 28, 2016)

I have had better luck with doing the later June early July splits myself. No more of unseen cold fronts were brood die.


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## lowhog (May 5, 2015)

tulsafarmer said:


> I have had better luck with doing the later June early July splits myself. No more of unseen cold fronts were brood die.


Agree! This year I split in April and what a mistake that was.


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## grozzie2 (Jun 3, 2011)

ubiewan said:


> My plan is to take a couple of frames from my strongest hive, and put them in a nuc box, let them raise their own queen.


A couple of frames is enough to raise a queen, but, they will be a month with no brood replenishing them, it'll be a pretty small unit by the time the queen is laying. To really jump start them, add a frame of capped brood right around queen emergence time. There wont be much brood left by then, so probably plenty of bees to tend the new frame. Those bees will emerge and be ripe for tending fresh brood about the time that new queen starts laying. Another benefit of that, by the time your new queen is ready to start laying, the original frames will likely be stuffed with stores at this time of the year, that extra new frame will have lots of room for her to start laying after she is mated because those bees are in the process of emerging and leaving nice empty cells for the new queen to use.


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