# Split help



## mtnmyke (Apr 27, 2017)

So I understand, you found the queen and put her in her own colony with no cells, then split out the resources/cells into splits?

In the splits I'd give them 3 weeks to make sure the queen emerged, mated, and is laying. If you don't have eggs then, you probably won't have them - assuming you have good weather. Bad weather, give them another week.


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## Driver (Feb 27, 2021)

mtnmyke said:


> So I understand, you found the queen and put her in her own colony with no cells, then split out the resources/cells into splits?
> 
> In the splits I'd give them 3 weeks to make sure the queen emerged, mated, and is laying. If you don't have eggs then, you probably won't have them - assuming you have good weather. Bad weather, give them another week.


Yep original queen is in her own colony. Is there anything I should keep eye on the original queen colony? I reduced entrance to help protect them.

After 3-4 weeks if no sign of eggs should I combine colonies back together?


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## mtnmyke (Apr 27, 2017)

Just make sure the numbers in each hive stay up. Often times the majority of the bees fly back to the original location. Since nurse bees don't fly it's important to split when the hive is quickly growing and has an abundance of nurse bees.

And you got it. Combine any failures or if they get too weak.


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## Gray Goose (Sep 4, 2018)

How many splits did you make?
the queen split plus 2 or 3?

most of the time I get 4 of 5 to a laying queen one may not hatch or get lost or get eaten etc.
then 3 of the 4 are ok to good and one of the 4 is a poor queen.

the duds and queen less I add back to the 3 good queens in what ever manner I "need" usually I try to equalize.
so for example 6 frames back to the 3 good queens would be 2 frames each.

hence as well i normally make more splits than I need and then cull, review and re combine some of the frames.
Say if you wanted 3 more Hives I would make 5 splits and keep the best 3, add the others back, destroy the poor queen if you wish to not use her.

not every one works, but you know that up front and can plan accordingly.

GG


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## Driver (Feb 27, 2021)

I was at the end of OAV treatment cycle on my colonies should I continue with the last treatment on split colonies?


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## Gray Goose (Sep 4, 2018)

the oav works better on brood less, so yes.
If mine I would not treat till the Q cells are closed , then treat one time while closed. then as soon as you see eggs and larvae treat again. the mites go into brood at the 6-7 day point just before capping, so when there are eggs and small larvae all the mites are out of brood great time for a oav.
adjust the dose to the hive size and continue, IMO

others may have different ideas.

GG


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## Driver (Feb 27, 2021)

mtnmyke said:


> Just make sure the numbers in each hive stay up. Often times the majority of the bees fly back to the original location. Since nurse bees don't fly it's important to split when the hive is quickly growing and has an abundance of nurse bees.
> 
> And you got it. Combine any failures or if they get too weak.


What should I do if half of split with the queen becomes weak and the other half without the queen is doing what it supposed to being doing making a new queen?


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## mtnmyke (Apr 27, 2017)

You can just swap the hive locations.

If any become too weak, knock down cells and recombine.


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## Driver (Feb 27, 2021)

mtnmyke said:


> You can just swap the hive locations.
> 
> If any become too weak, knock down cells and recombine.


Visually monitoring the split I did. Half with original queen not active outside the hive but appear to be very active in the hive taking alot of sugar syrup. Hive without queen very active inside and out. Normal behavior? Thanks!!!!


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## mtnmyke (Apr 27, 2017)

Sounds like the one with the queen got all the nurse bees. As long as you have a good amount of bees in both you should be good


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## Driver (Feb 27, 2021)

mtnmyke said:


> Sounds like the one with the queen got all the nurse bees. As long as you have a good amount of bees in both you should be good


Peeked into split yesterday half with the queen is down to about 3 frames of bees. Only been 6 days should I be patient and give them more time to grow or start thinking it's to weak of a split? Thanks again for help!


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## mtnmyke (Apr 27, 2017)

How many frames of bees in the queenless split?


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## Driver (Feb 27, 2021)

mtnmyke said:


> How many frames of bees in the queenless split?


 6-7frames


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