Autumn split making on the Gold Coast

[west end apiary]

Hello all,

Long time lurker, very infrequent poster.

I currently have 9 strong hives in doubles that are located on the gold coast.
Mid January I did some splits and got three new queens and am hoping for a fourth next time I check the hives.

I am wondering what the opinion of the knowledgeable beeks here is as to walk away splits made in the next month.

The plan would be to find the queen in one of my strong hives and put her in a nuc, then do some OTS cell manipulation and a week later take frames that have queen cells on them and make three or four nucs from the frames in the hives.

Now things I will need to consider are if there are any drone cells in the hives, if there are I should be good to go.

Also its pretty mild weather in south east Queensland on the coast and the bees never stop flying through the depth of winter (which I call shorts and a jumper weather).

The goal will be to have strong nucs coming out of winter that should grow well into full hives in spring and summer.

any suggestions or ideas on this plan are greatly appreciated

Nick

[Michael Bush]

I don't live on the gold coast, but I spent some time there not so long ago... I'd say if you have any kind of flow and drones flying you could do one anytime of the year but it would probably do best in the spring.