# Split question



## Rudyball (Apr 28, 2016)

I picked up a new queen today looking to split a hive. I had 3 brood boxes stacked - added an excluder under the top hive. There are so many bees I didn't shake them all down out of the top hive - just excluded it. Going to split and the top box is calm and the bottom two aggressive - safe to assume there is no queen in the bottom two?


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## Ryan McEachern (Dec 18, 2011)

Nope.


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## Billboard (Dec 28, 2014)

I would take a look to make sure which half is queenless. you don't want to lose a new queen.


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## Rudyball (Apr 28, 2016)

Billboard said:


> I would take a look to make sure which half is queenless. you don't want to lose a new queen.


I still have the queen in her cage and have not inserted her yet. Just having trouble finding the original queen.


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## Billboard (Dec 28, 2014)

Well you can put her in the hive caged. In three days if they are feeding her it's ok to let her out. If they are biting the wire the queens in there or you need more time for acceptance.


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## Rudyball (Apr 28, 2016)

ok, thanks, what I thought and may swing her over to the other if they are still biting at her.


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## Billboard (Dec 28, 2014)

Give her a drop of water before you begin. She's probably thirsty


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## Tejones121 (Apr 28, 2015)

How long has the excluder been on? If it's been 4 days you can look for eggs to determine her location.


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## Rudyball (Apr 28, 2016)

Tejones121 said:


> How long has the excluder been on? If it's been 4 days you can look for eggs to determine her location.


I put the excluder on Tuesday, and picked up the queen yesterday. I ended up adding her to the excluded box, and will check on her later today to see how they are acting toward her. The other hive calmed down some so maybe I just got on their bad side yesterday.


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## Rudyball (Apr 28, 2016)

I sent my two hives into a war today by flipping positions on my board after splitting them - they are still fighting it out - don't think I can stop it now


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## Rudyball (Apr 28, 2016)

I sent my two hives into a war today by flipping positions on my board after splitting them - they are still fighting it out - don't think I can stop it now


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## Rudyball (Apr 28, 2016)

I reduced the entrances on both and will have to let them fight it out now - hopefully they will retreat "hives" soon


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## m0dem (May 14, 2016)

Shake the bees off the frames in the top box, and then put the frames back in the same box and set it back on the hive (with a queen excluder below).
Then after a while (if there is brood in the top box), you'll be able to collect the top box and the bees in it without worrying about taking the queen.


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