Hive ready to split - queen delayed.

[Stevo1977]

Hi,

I have prepared a main colony ready for split as a swarming counter measure. Currently I have 2 x BB below a QE & 1 X Super and BB above the QE with the frames split equally (the Queen is in the lower 2 x BB's). I did this on Sunday in prep for my new Queen turning up on Monday , however it seems that she is delayed & will not arrive until Friday/Saturday now. The question is how to proceed.

1/ - Leave as is and continue the split on Fri/Sat when the new Queen arrives?

2/ - Move the Split onto the awaiting floor now creating a new hive and introduce the new Queen on Fri/Sat.

The upper BB currently contains 4 x Frames of Eggs/Brood in various stages (with pollen & nurse Bees) and 1 x frame of Honey and 6 with foundation.

 

[Murox]

An egg remains an egg for 3 days then it hatches into a larva. With a bit of manipulation you can have the upper box "hopelessly queenless" by the time your mated girl arrives.

 

[Stevo1977]

So are you saying wait three days and then move to a new hive ready for the mated Queen?

 

[Anduril]

Nothing stopping you moving them now, they would be hopelessly queen less.

 

[drex]

You say you have the frames split equally and have 6 foundation in upper BB. Does this mean you have 6 foundation in lower BB's too?
Is the colony actually strong enough for a decent split in this case?
I have seen lots of posts recently where people seem to be splitting colonies that are too weak to really thrive well when split.

 

[Murox]

Basically yes - along as queen cant lay up in top box, any eggs now in top box will be larval in a few days, if you're lucky queen pheromone will also help stop them trying to make queen cells .

drex has a valid point.

 

[Stevo1977]

No I'm making the split from a double BB hive. So currently there is 3 BBs including a Super in the remaining colony there will be at least 4-5 frames of eggs/Brood and 2 - 3 honey plus I'll keep the super on that colony. They have been a very productive colony.