Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: JD on April 19, 2009, 10:24:52 PM

Title: Making a split
Post by: JD on April 19, 2009, 10:24:52 PM
I want to make a split from two different hives. Two frames with bee's from each hive. Will they get along or will they not? Thanks JD
Title: Re: Making a split
Post by: iddee on April 19, 2009, 10:48:44 PM
They will after the first day. The younger bees will get along, the older bees will go back home.
Title: Re: Making a split
Post by: Brian D. Bray on April 22, 2009, 12:38:58 AM
If a beekeeper wants to keep his hives strong but still build numbers the practice of taking 1 or 2 frames from several hives to make up new nucs or hives is a good option.    If you have 9 or 10 hives you can pull 1 frame from each hive and place them all together in the same box and you have an instant hive sans queen, unless you've ordered some, but they'll make their own if not.  You can make up 4 splits from 10 double deeps and all 14 will be strong hives.

Mixing the brood frames together confuses the bees and by the time they get things straight the odors have mingled better than with a newspaper combine.
Title: Re: Making a split
Post by: Michael Bush on April 25, 2009, 03:17:00 PM
When you take bees from two hives they sometimes fight.  When you take bees from three or four, the confusion is your friend.  They seldom fight.  A little smoke will help with the confusion.