# Splits to prevent swarming



## razoo (Jul 7, 2015)

I don't know if I have the timing right, or if something has gone wrong. 
March 28th I opened my hives to find three had tons of queen cells, still uncapped at that stage. 
I split each of them into four hives giving them all some queen cells.
First error, I think I left too many queen cells in each , so I think I have had multiple swarms from each. 
Today I found each hive had opened queen cells where the cap had been nearly chewed off. Occasionally I found one where it has been ripped open at the side.

I tried to calculate when to expect a laying queen. If the queen cell was uncapped on March 28, then I made a rough guess that it could be capped by April 4, and the queen would emerge on April 12.
Today, two weeks later I opened hoping to find the queens or eggs or larvae. 

I think the success rate was very low. 
Two hives had some opened queen cells, no queen, and one capped queen cell.
Six had some opened queen cells, none that were still capped, and I couldn't see a queen, or eggs or larvae. Plenty of nectar and some capped honey. 
Two hives had a big beautiful queen, one had been laying there were eggs, larvae and capped brood, but the second had no eggs or larvae - I was relieved to at least see her given the six with nothing. 
I ran out of time and will check the remaining two tomorrow. 

Should I be concerned about the six that don't appear to have a queen? 
Am I too hasty and need to give them more time?
Is it possible the queens were out on their nuptial flight? 
What do you recommend I do?


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## Dan the bee guy (Jun 18, 2015)

How was the weather the last few weeks you should be seeing something soon maybe giving a frame of egg to the slow ones to see if they start queen cells. Good luck. I'd wait a little longer


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