Snelgrove method

[Levitt53]

I was planning on doing a snelgrove split tomorrow. I have a really healthy colony with BIAS on 9 frames. They have shown no signs of swarming (inspected yesterday). I have a beekeeping friend who is down to one hive and desperate for another. Also the colony is on old comb so it seems a good opportunity to replace this.

Reading the book it assumes your colony is on double brood which mine isn't. The result will be that box A has probably 8 frames of brood and a bit of foundation. Box B though obviously will be on mostly foundation. This is only my second year and I don't have any drawn comb to give them. Is this going to be a problem do you think? They have plenty of stores and the forecast is good.

Also what is the modified snelgrove that I've heard mentioned? Has his method been updated or does that just refer to the slightly different method used when you have queen cells.

Thanks

 

[Swarm]

They are on nine frames, why not add another brood box and get her laying in that as well before considering splitting them?

 

[Levitt53]

They are on nine frames, why not add another brood box and get her laying in that as well before considering splitting them?

Yes that's a good idea. How long will that set me back though if I still want to do the split?

 

[Swarm]

I wouldn't focus on splitting, she is on nine frames and may not even require more brood area. Spare comb would certainly help, remember any comb you remove, you only have foundation to replace it with. Maybe consider removing two sealed combs after a couple of weeks with pollen, honey and foundation to make up five frames and introduce a new queen. The new bees will be emerging and will readily accept the queen.