What to do after splitting hives

[feline2]

I have recently split several hives and each new hive is about an inch away from the old one.
I'd like someone to advise me what to do now, should I gradually move the hives further away from each other or leave them as they are.

 

[Bitbybit]

My understanding is that they should be gradually moved apart as drifting will occur when the hives are close together.

 

[feline2]

what time scale would you recommend for gradually moving them apart?
Meaning, how much should they be moved and how often?

 

[busybee53]

Further apart will be better when you are working on them. If you intend to keep all the colonies next season the new colonies may need to be split too and that will also need space.

 

[johncorne]

Less than 3 feet or more than 3 miles.... so if you move them a couple of feet at a time you will be OK (or 1/2 meter) you will be fine.

Jc

 

[MandF]

a lot of bees will drift back to the original hive anyway, whether you move it slowly, or in one go.

Maybe rotate the hive 90 degrees so entrance is facing the way you will move the hive, accept the drifting off that will initially cause, and then after a few days move it forward 1' a day. You are more likely to keep some of the bees from drifting.

Keep an eye on the number of bees and level of stores, in case you lose lots to drifting, and you can also take a brood frame from the parent hive to boost the numbers.

Or alternatively just do that in one hit - move it, accept the foragers will drift to the parent hive, boost it with some more brood and stores if needed.

 

[Little John]

A 'split' can have several variations - from an 'even-split' (50/50), to just taking one frame of brood and one of stores away from the parent hive.

Two days ago I made an 'even-split' (divided a hive into two, and chequer-boarded empty combs between occupied combs), and then placed both hives about two feet away from the original hive position, but facing it, so that the returning foragers would divide roughly equally between the two hives.

Got the idea from Michael Bush and, although it's still early days, so far it's working a treat.

LJ

 

[Mr greenwood]

If there is only 2 hives and you have the room why not move them both by a foot or so each and achieve the gap in one go?

 

[drstitson]

"My understanding is that they should be gradually moved apart as drifting will occur when the hives are close together."

have you seen how close together many hives are kept on the continent?