Splitting Colony

[Barnman]

This is produce my first year beekeeping and I have one hive. The bees started to make queen cells some time ago but they were left uncapped. Yesterday I noticed a closed queen cell which contained a lava. I detryed it but I am sure they will produce another. I have a spare hive and want to splt the colony into two. What is the best method? All advice gratefully received.

 

[drstitson]

realistically you're leaving it a bit late - any split now will need to get queen emerged and mated (upto 6 weeks - ie end of august) and still have time to build up for winter (ie by mid-late october tops).

if you split and buy a new mated queen for the Q- half then you are in with a chance.

 

[Barnman]

OK - just wanted to prevent swarming - so should i continue to destroy the queen cells.

 

[VEG]

If you have a sealed queen cell they have most likely swarmed unless it is a supercedure cell. Did you see any eggs?

 

[Barnman]

I am pretty sure they havent swarmed but I could be wrong. There was a lava in the cell. I think the other cells are empty but I will double check tomorrow.

 

[VEG]

you need to look for eggs in the worker cells that will tell you if the queen is still there or not

 

[Barnman]

The Queen is definitely still there - I have seen her. There are lots of brood and the hive look healthy in my very limited experience. There are are young emerging from cells too.