Temps got to about 57 today so I went out to check on my weaker hive. I slipped open the top to find bees that had frozen to death. :'( I really was concerned after they got robbed a couple of weeks ago, I gusee now I will be forced to split. What is the earliest I can split? Or should I just leave the empty deep out there and try to catch a swarm.
How quickly do packages build up? Though I would love to duplicate my strong hive, that queen is awesome.
I can not give you dates for Georgia, but if you have a strong hive coming out of winter, and IF you split correctly, the bees will be ready for the first main flow. Just don't do what some do and wait till everything looks perfect and the flow has begun, then split, ruining any potential honey crop.
Split early so both hives will recover, or wait till after the spring flow. Don't get caught in the middle.
I am pretty sure I will have a strong hive. What do you mean by split correctly and since you can't give me dates---can you suggest temperatures or how long before the first flow?
Quote from: chemlight on December 04, 2008, 05:43:24 AM
I am pretty sure I will have a strong hive. What do you mean by split correctly and since you can't give me dates---can you suggest temperatures or how long before the first flow?
A couple things. You suggest being forced to split, then also suggest perhaps waiting for a swarm. So your first question for yourself is, do you need to two hives for for something particular, or do you want a honey crop?
Splitting can be looked at a few different ways depending on what your objectives are.
Early spring splits should be made at least 30 days prior to the main flow. Whether that is a 50/50 split. or a 70/30 split, depends on queen availability, preflow buildup timing, and other factors. If I have long enough of a timeframe before the main flow, I may split 50/50, and get a good honey crop from both. If little time for buildup remains, a 70/30 split may be more advantageous. A 70/30 split allows the 70% to recover in time for the flow, may help with swarm control, and even further benefited the hive by such things as opening up the brood chamber. Look at flow, buildup time and everything that plays into that. Many just wait till the start of the flow, then split 50/50, and wonder why they didn't get much honey a month later, when details of what really effected them are long gone in their minds.
I favor and use nuc building in conjunction with swarm control, opening up the brood chamber, and taking just enough from the strong hive to be beneficial, yet still maximize the honey crop. The three or four frames are easily replaced in a strong hive, yet those frames you harvested out of the strong hive will also benefit from the flow, and build nicely and will be strong by the end of the year.
Another option is doing the splits 50/50, on the downside of the flow. It allows you to maximize honey potential and yet take advantage of such things as requeening or raising better quality queens at that time of the year, get the benefit of summer brood breaks, among other things.
You may need to tailor which type splitting you want, based on preflow buildup timing, queen availability, desire for honey potential, etc. That's where the local climate and timing needs to come from you.
The idea is to fully understand the impact of the timing, and how your effecting the hives.
Sorry for the confusion I was just rambling in my initial post.
I want to build back up to 2 hives to maximize honey production as soon as possible. From reading your last post I believe I want to split 50/50 pre-flow. You mentioned queen availability...which I translates to the fact that I will need a queen to put in the queenless split.(correct?)
Now I will need to figure out when the first flow starts here and count back to figur out when I should spilt??? How do I do a 50/50. Just steal every other frame from my donor hive? In case you didn't notice I am a first year rookie. I bought these 2...err 1 hive now...last May.
and let me say it now in case I forget...Thanks for your help!!!