Hive Splits- Need some feedback.

[Cossack]

I split a hive this weekend in preparation for a new queen to come in next week. The original hive had 2 brood boxes and two supers on top.

I split the brood boxes into two hives.  Moved the one hive (Brood box) approximately 7 feet away and put tree limbs at the entrance. So they would reorient. The old hive still has the 2 supers on top.

The next day I see no activity from the new hive. What I mean is that I see no bees coming and going from the entrance. However, there was a lot of activity at the old hive. It looked like they all went back to the original location. I did not look inside the new hive but it had plenty of honey, pollen, and brood.

My question is did I do anything wrong? I did not look in the new hive to see if any bees were inside.

Help.
:?

[Robo]

First of all I wouldn't split until you have new queens in hand.  The queenless hive will start raising queen cells in 24 hours.   Secondly, any field bees moved 7ft away will most likely return to the original hive.   So your split has just young nurse bees left, that is why it is always suggested to compensate for the returning bees by favoring the new split when dividing up the brood frames.    Only having young bees in the split will increase the chances of successful queen introduction though.

[Two Bees]

As Robo said, having only nurse bees is probably why you don't see any coming and going.

[Michael Bush]

If there was no brood in the one you moved then they would all go back.  If there IS brood then the field bees will all go back and the nurse bees will stay.

[Cossack]

Thanks for the information.

                :)