When is the best time of the year to split hive?

[john1]

Hi,
I am planning to have one more hive.
When is the best time of the year to split - April, May etc.?
Thanks,

 

[pargyle]

Time in beekeeping and a rigid timetable to do things is largely immaterial. You should do things when it is right to do things not because it's Thursday 15th April. The bees will tell you when it's a good time to split - when there are signs of swarm preps. Alternatively if you want to pre-empt that - look up the sticky on here for Demaree ... again, not by the calendar but when there is a colony ready to be Demareed.

Doing things by the calendar in beekeeping is a recipe for a disaster. Observe, Assess, Act.

 

[jeff33]

May 14th at 15.30......sorry about the sarcasm.

I think many less experienced beeks need to understand that day and months do not dictate actions, the bees do!! You should consider splitting when your hive is strong enough to deal with resources taken away from it and when there are sufficient drones and good weather to ensure any new queen maximises opportunities to mate properly.

 

[lizzie-drippin]

On this theme, my first inspection has revealed that two of my hives are very strong and have 8-9 frames of capped brood and full supers. In contrast, two others are weak. I'm tempted to split some bees off to boost these two weaker hives...or should I keep the two strong hives as they are and add a new super/brood box?

 

[fian]

On this theme, my first inspection has revealed that two of my hives are very strong and have 8-9 frames of capped brood and full supers. In contrast, two others are weak. I'm tempted to split some bees off to boost these two weaker hives...or should I keep the two strong hives as they are and add a new super/brood box?

1. Arrange the two weak hives above the strong hives. The intermediate with 2 queen excluders and a pair of supers. Something similar to a demare.
2. Remove 2 brood frames (mostly closed) without a queen and place them in each of the weak hives. For strong hives, provide an unstretched base. Check if you see royal cell cups, if you see destroy them all.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

On this theme, my first inspection has revealed that two of my hives are very strong and have 8-9 frames of capped brood and full supers. In contrast, two others are weak. I'm tempted to split some bees off to boost these two weaker hives...or should I keep the two strong hives as they are and add a new super/brood box?

first thing, they need more supers. You could donate some brood to the weaker hives, but don't overload them in one hit as they won't have the nurse bees to tend them, Just give each a frame of emerging brood every few days.
Just remember - if they are that strong they will eventually want to swarm so either prepare to take action when they do or think of some preemptive swarm avoidance such as Demarree

 

[pargyle]

On this theme, my first inspection has revealed that two of my hives are very strong and have 8-9 frames of capped brood and full supers. In contrast, two others are weak. I'm tempted to split some bees off to boost these two weaker hives...or should I keep the two strong hives as they are and add a new super/brood box?

Why weaken a strong colony to bolster a weak one. Choose the best queen of the two weak ones, squish the duff one, combine the two weak colonies into one and order a decent queen from somewhere reputable and replace the queen you saved when combining.

 

[drex]

I try to get my colonies all to an equal strength, as it makes management a bit easier. ( but that equalising can be a bit like herding cats).
At this time of year I simply swap a weaker hive into the position of a stronger hive and vice versa.

 

[lizzie-drippin]

first thing, they need more supers. You could donate some brood to the weaker hives, but don't overload them in one hit as they won't have the nurse bees to tend them, Just give each a frame of emerging brood every few days.
Just remember - if they are that strong they will eventually want to swarm so either prepare to take action when they do or think of some preemptive swarm avoidance such as Demarree

Would you put an empty super above or below the full one at this time of the season?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Would you put an empty super above or below the full one at this time of the season?

wherever you feel like really - makes little difference, I always put mine next to the brood nest.
You should never wait until a super is full before adding another, surefire way of triggering swarming - my rule of thumb is, once the super is full of bees (not honey) I add another