Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Qkrwogud on December 08, 2015, 06:19:24 AM

Title: Can a split be very near its donor hive?
Post by: Qkrwogud on December 08, 2015, 06:19:24 AM
Some factors to consider: I'm in New Zealand, it is summer now and flow has started. I put a nuc 10 ft infront of my main hive and it wasn't robbed. Looking to split into a 5 frame nuc with either 3 or 4 full frames and fill rest with undrawn(what do you suggest?)

Below you can see where I'm looking to put it, should it be okay?

(http://i.imgur.com/L4QyjRL.jpg)
Title: Re: Can a split be very near its donor hive?
Post by: RoyalTummy on December 08, 2015, 07:28:12 AM
Sure
Try it. Just confuse any foragers in the new nuc by placing plant branches all around the entrance where they really have to reorient to their new home location. Like in nature after a storm and a tree limb blocks their entrance.
Title: Re: Can a split be very near its donor hive?
Post by: GSF on December 09, 2015, 09:36:23 AM
In my experience the foragers will return back to the home hive area. If it gets too unbalanced you could always switch locations.
Title: Re: Can a split be very near its donor hive?
Post by: Acebird on December 09, 2015, 05:27:18 PM
I make large splits and place them next to the parent hive within inches.  If there is enough nurse bees and honey there is no problem.  If you do a small split you may have to replenish the lost bees to the split.
Title: Re: Can a split be very near its donor hive?
Post by: sc-bee on December 09, 2015, 05:52:19 PM
Did you reduce the entrance of the split? I mean really reduce for a while...a couple bee width.
Title: Re: Can a split be very near its donor hive?
Post by: D Coates on December 09, 2015, 06:10:35 PM
Should be fine. Make sure the queen is in the new place and they'll separate just fine.  I've done it dozens of times myself.  Reducing the entrance does help to limit robbing as the respective hives regain their footing.

Ace, This is a bit of advice not related to this post.  Since you're locked out of your regular forum haunt and have shown back up here, unless you try a bit of hubris and humility, history will undoubtedly repeat itself again.
Title: Re: Can a split be very near its donor hive?
Post by: Acebird on December 09, 2015, 09:05:41 PM
D Coates:  Funny you didn't use the PM function of the forum.  Anyways, I don't see any advertising column on Beemasters so maybe money can't get its way.  I noticed on the other forum the activity dropped like a rock so you have to be careful what you wish for.  Especially when you have advertisers.
Title: Re: Can a split be very near its donor hive?
Post by: GSF on December 09, 2015, 10:01:04 PM
We donate to keep it free from pop ups.

thanks ace that reminds me, time to donate :)
Title: Re: Can a split be very near its donor hive?
Post by: D Coates on December 10, 2015, 10:55:50 AM
Acebird,  Didn't follow your own advice about a PM?  Shocker.  I PM'd you.