Advice re splitting colony.

[Tindog]

I help out a friend of mine who has been a beekeeper for over 20 years now, sadly he now has a disability which precludes him from manipulating the frames but he has far more experience than I ever will gain. However, he currently only has one strong hive which is bringing in balsam and has two supers on. The last time I looked which is about two weeks ago now, this hive was on about seven frames of brood and eggs but I suspect that this will have reduced somewhat by now. He wants to check this hive to see if it is strong enough to split with the view to introducing a new queen and increasing his stock for next year.
I will of course go with whatever decision he makes although in my opinion it's too late in the year and he runs the risk of taking two small colonies through the winter and loosing both.
I think his best bet is to get the colony as healthy and stocked with stores for the winter giving him the best start for the spring and look at splitting next year.
Am I being too cautious?

 

[B+.]

Am I being too cautious?

No.
Of course, it all depends on the forage in your area but, I wouldn't dream of making splits in september

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

No.
Of course, it all depends on the forage in your area but, I wouldn't dream of making splits in september

the two aren't going to be that strong going into winter for one thing if you can get a decent queen!

 

[REDWOOD]

The norm this time of year is to combine not split

 

[B+.]

if you can get a decent queen!

Even if you can, it will be three weeks before any eggs she laid today emerge as adults. Thats pushing into October.
I know its been a late season for most of us, but, I don't think there is time to build up a colony naturally in what remains of this year. Of course, someone out there will say it can be done if you feed heavily, but, thats just inviting robbing IMHO.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Am I being too cautious?

Still making up nucs and splitting strong colonies down here, but not sure it would work as well up north.

 

[B+.]

Still making up nucs and splitting strong colonies down here, but not sure it would work as well up north.

Exmoor....the Tennessee of the UK

 

[stilllearning]

Splitting it and adding a queen , presumably a mated one, is fine. Probably the best time of year to introduce queens if you can get hold of one. Also he'll be weakening the strong colony which is also a good thing. It always amazes me why beekeepers have got this obsession for having strong colonies bursting with bees, we've not got the climate for that sort of thing over here.
Personally I wouldn't do it as it would mean buying a queen which is against my religion

 

[Finman]

.
Colony builds up better when it is big in spring.

When the hive is 4 boxes. Then it is good to make a nuc. Or split it 2+2. It is surely bigger then than splitted in autumn or in early spring.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Also he'll be weakening the strong colony which is also a good thing.

What sort of a ridiculous statement is that!! it's autumn FFS not swarming season.

Personally I wouldn't do it as it would mean buying a queen which is against my religion

Jedii ?

 

[B+.]

Personally I wouldn't do it as it would mean buying a queen which is against my religion

"If you keep on doing what you always did, you'll always get what you always got."

In other words, try something different and you may be pleasantly suprised. I have bought lots of queens (always groups of sisters so they can be compared). Some have been disappointing, but, many have been good. Occassionally, I get some that are very good. However, I requeen when they are plentiful in summer so the queen has enough time to build up a colony of her own workers before winter. This helps with overwintering. My religion has nothing to do with it. Beekeeping is all about doing the right jobs at the right time of year, not rushing around trying to requeen in autumn or emergency feeding in early spring.

 

[Finman]

Very silly religion that " not buying queens".
And splitting strong colony is another silly thing.

The basic of beekeeping is to rear strong colonies, which are able to forage surplus. Splittings do not make surplus.
.
What is strong colony... 6 frames or 6 boxes?

 

[Hivemaker.]

Splittings do not make surplus.

Nonsense... surplus of what at this time of year.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Surplus of weak colonies to nurse through to the spring?

 

[Hivemaker.]

Surplus of weak colonies to nurse through to the spring?

Only if you don't have a clue what your doing.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'll refer you to post #8 - or do you also proscribe that everyone deliberately weakens their colonies to go into the winter as strong colonies apparently won't survive as

we've not got the climate for that sort of thing over here.

?

 

[Finman]

Nonsense... surplus of what at this time of year.

Nonsense what this time of year?
You do not even know how strong is the hive what you are splitting. Splitting 7 brood frames before Winter? Cluster will be size on brood area.

You have clearly joined to United Welsh Village Dogs.

I meant next yield summer. Is it so difficult to understand what surplus bees do.
We are wintering hives for next summer. Do we?

 

[Finman]

Only if you don't have a clue what your doing.

He is doing "The Welsh Intellectual Surplus Poking".
Vain to ask...

 

[Finman]

Nonsense... surplus of what at this time of year.

??????

 

[Finman]

.
This time of year.... Forecast Nottingham
10-16C temps for next 5 days