Splitting a hive

[Dange]

I have a hive that is doing very well.  It was a swarm that I caught 3 years ago.  I was thinking that I might want to split this hive.  My intentions were to do a walk away split.  This hive has 3 deeps and 2 mediums on it.  I really like the genes of this hive, surviving 3 Michigan winters, gentleness of the hive, and what surplus honey it has.  I am looking for some of the experts on here for advice as to what I should do to best split this hive.

[Dange]

Is timing of flow an issue?

[Oldbeavo]

What is a "walk away split"?
What is due to flower in the next few months?

[Acebird]

Like a lot of things in beekeeping the terms mean different things to different beekeepers.
To me a walk away is basically splitting a hive in half and letting it make a queen for the queenless side.  I do it by the box but it can be risky when your brood boxes are deeps.  In the case of deeps you may have to pull frames to insure both halves have 3 day old larvae or at least the queenless side does if you can find the queen.

[Dange]

Thanks AceBird.  That is what my plan entailed splitting the boxes themselves.  Do you think it would be a good idea or just leave them bee as they have did so well so far?  We still haven't had our goldenrod flow or aster which are big but late.

[Acebird]

Do you know what is in the deeps?  You have to be careful that one deep doesn't have all sealed brood and the other has brood of all ages, honey and pollen and end up with the queen on that side.  I would be more cautious when splitting by the box with deeps.  Another reason why I have all mediums.

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Dange, consider robbing a factor when making splits if the splits are maintained in the same yard.  Especially consider if you are planning to feed the split with a top hive feeder.  I would not use an entrance feeder.  Just my experience, but an entrance feeder can create aggressive robbing behavior in a very short time.

Gentle bees, honey producers, survive Michigan winters, yes, sounds like good genetics in that hive.  Best of luck.

[Oldbeavo]

If you are worried about robbing then there is not enough honey flow to split anyway.
Once you have some honey coming in, then split. You need to go through the boxes with brood to find frames with eggs, and then rearrange the boxes so they both have some eggs. Just in case you don't find the queen.
If you find the queen then you could lock here in the bottom with a QX and then set up your split box above her. Next day take the top box as your split as the nurse bees will be on your young brood.

Acebird, what is the difference in splitting deeps or mediums? or are you talking about splitting without inspection of the brood frames!

[Acebird]

Acebird, what is the difference in splitting deeps or mediums? or are you talking about splitting without inspection of the brood frames!

The difference is (my experience) that a full size hive will accommodate more then one box for sure if they are mediums or smaller.  Yes we are talking about not inspecting the brood frames.  That is what is most appealing to those that do split by the box.

[tycrnp]

Is there a specific time of year that is best to do a split?

[Oldbeavo]

Yes, when there is enough time and honey flow for your new split to build enough bees and reserves to survive winter. That is the time to split.

[BeeMaster2]

TY,
For you, that is most any month of the year. Here in north FL, my bees shut down in October and start building up in late December/early January. We normally can do splits starting February 14.
Jim

[Oldbeavo]

Jim
Don't you have a winter? or is it warm enough that bees don't really stop.

[BeeMaster2]

Some years are warm enough that they have flows all winter long. Usually it stops in October. I watch my observation hive to tell what is going on.
Jim

[Acebird]

Yes, when there is enough time and honey flow for your new split to build enough bees and reserves to survive winter. That is the time to split.

Most people refer to the time as spring.  This is also the time when the swarming impulse is greatest.