# making a split, but can't find the queen



## peterlapierre (Mar 13, 2013)

If you have two brood boxes on the hive you want to split just put a queen excluder between the two and go back a few days latter and see which box has eggs in it, that will be the box the queen is in. Then take frames of bees out of the other to make your split.


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

If you have a queen excluder... shake the bees off of some frames of brood and place them in a box over the remaining bees (separated by the queen excluder). Nurse bees will move up to cover the brood. 

Remove the top box to another bottom board so that any field bees will return to the original hive. Be patient with the introduction of your Russian queen.


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## SCSpaniard (Feb 28, 2013)

thanks!


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## tsmullins (Feb 17, 2011)

SCSpaniard said:


> i have tried several times but I just can find her, there is brood, and no queen cells, so i am sure she is there... any advise?


When you go to make your nuc, choose the frames you want. Be very careful the queen is not on one of those frames. If you still can't find her, don't worry. If she is in the nuc, the bees will start fanning the entrance. This will occur in a few minutes. 

Then simply choose new frames. To be on the safe side, move the nuc a few miles away. The next day the queenless colony will exhibit a "roar" that is quite unmistakeable. 

I like BeeCurious's advice as well. Someone mentioned the queen excluder tip me once in the past. 

Shane


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## MDS (Jan 9, 2011)

You might also try placing your caged queen on top of the frames of a split hive after an hour or so. If they quickly ball the cage that would be an indication the split has an existing queen already.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

In making a split, the queenless hive will make one just as long as there are viable eggs in the cells. 
I take it from your post you wanted to make sure both had queens right away.
BC has some sage advice as well.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

If you can't find the queen, go ahead and make the split. Try to get some unsealed brood in each box. Move the one you want to move. After 24 hours reinspect. The queenless hive will be quite agitated, and you will likely find the beginnings of queen cells as the queenless hive prepares to save itself by making themselves a new queen. You will also have less bees in each box to look at in trying to find the queen, making it easier to find her. The queenright hive will be calm and working normally.

Quite often the reason it is difficult to find the queen is that she is running from frame to frame as you are inspecing them, she is down on the bottom board, or on the walls of the deep super. Just go ahead and make the split, and check for her the next day.

cchoganjr


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## SCSpaniard (Feb 28, 2013)

Great advice, thanks!


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