When is the right time to split the hive?

[john1]

I checked my overwintered bees. It looks everything ok and I can see the bees brining in pollen.

The only issue I found was there were around 10 to 15 varroa on the varroa board.

If I want to split the hive, is it the right time in the UK to split the hive?
Thanks

 

[ericbeaumont]

is it the right time in the UK to split the hive?

How will the queenless half provide itself with a replacement?

 

[Wilco]

I checked my overwintered bees. It looks everything ok and I can see the bees brining in pollen.

The only issue I found was there were around 10 to 15 varroa on the varroa board.

If I want to split the hive, is it the right time in the UK to split the hive?
Thanks

How long was the varroa board in?

Almost certainly not. A split requires a queen. Too early to buy and won't be enough mature drones about for one to mate if they raise their own.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If I want to split the hive, is it the right time in the UK to split the hive

What are your reasons for splitting?
Just wait for the bees to tell you when you need to 'split'

 

[john1]

How long was the varroa board in?

Almost certainly not. A split requires a queen. Too early to buy and won't be enough mature drones about for one to mate if they raise their own.

Thanks Wilco, the varroa board was there nearly a month. I cleaned it last weekend and put it back again. I will check again and see how many varroa are there.

 

[john1]

What are your reasons for splitting?
Just wait for the bees to tell you when you need to 'split'

Thanks, the reason for splitting is to have one more hive. Like you mentioned, I will wait for a few more weeks.

 

[user 819]

Too soon for a walk away split, lose half the bees and any warmth they provide likely both colonies will dwindle. One will be Q less with few drones around at the mo and the QR half will be set back by several weeks having to re start brood rearing.
End up with two weak colonies and possibly two failing colonies, better to have one strong one and wait for the numbers to increase to the point of needing to split/AS.
Plus the weather is nice and pleasant at the mo but not going to last much more then a few more days.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I will wait for a few more weeks.

and a few more. Why not just wait for them to nmake swarm preparations and do it then
Or Demarree for a better quality queen.

 

[enrico]

As JBM says, the problem is that a walk away split is not going to stop swarming instinct although it may surpress it for a while.
What I would do? I would wait until I saw the first queen cells. At that point I would remove the frame with the queen on, a couple of frames of bees with brood and a frame of food. I would replace those frames with new frames. I would put the removed frames into a nuc making up the spaces with new frames. You then have to control the queen cells in the hive. This surpresses swarm instinct and gives you a new hive with a laying queen the will build quickly.
I am sure others will disagree but that is what I would do.

 

[ericbeaumont]

everything ok and I can see the bees brining in pollen.

Have you been into the box for an inspection, John?

Pollen suggests that brood is present, but is not conclusive. Yesterday I saw a few drones emerging but they're about two weeks from sexual maturity; effective mating is more likely when all colonies in your area have mature drones flying and regular warm weather is with us.

there were around 10 to 15 varroa on the varroa board.

Over what period?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Have you been into the box for an inspection, John?

Pollen suggests that brood is present, but is not conclusive. Yesterday I saw a few drones emerging but they're about two weeks from sexual maturity; effective mating is more likely when all colonies in your area have mature drones flying and regular warm weather is with us.


Over what period?

Thanks Wilco, the varroa board was there nearly a month. I cleaned it last weekend and put it back again. I will check again and see how many varroa are there.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Thanks, Dani; not had porridge yet.
John: 10 to 15 over a month is one varroa every other day and a bit, so not a lot to worry about.

 

[john1]

Have you been into the box for an inspection, John?

Pollen suggests that brood is present, but is not conclusive. Yesterday I saw a few drones emerging but they're about two weeks from sexual maturity; effective mating is more likely when all colonies in your area have mature drones flying and regular warm weather is with us.


Over what period?

I did not open the hive to inspect the hive after the winter.
I checked the amount of fondant left which is above the super and provided a little more fondant.

Is it time to open the brood and inspect?
When do people normally open the hive after the winter for inspection?

Thanks

 

[Erichalfbee]

I looked in on Friday. Not a proper inspection. Just a quick check that the queen is laying and they have food and space. It was 18 degrees, the bees were flying well and there was little wind.
I always try to look through properly when the dandelions open. We have fields of them here and the bees often need supering...and equally often eat the honey in the weeks after.

I checked the amount of fondant left which is above the super and provided a little more fondant.

People are reporting strong colonies with too much food and little space for the queen to lay. I myself had to pull some frames of food on Friday and I'm supposed to know what I'm doing.....so be careful of giving them even more food. How heavy does the hive feel?

 

[jeff33]

I looked in on Friday. Not a proper inspection. Just a quick check that the queen is laying and they have food and space. It was 18 degrees, the bees were flying well and there was little wind.
I always try to look through properly when the dandelions open. We have fields of them here and the bees often need supering...and equally often eat the honey in the weeks after.

People are reporting strong colonies with too much food and little space for the queen to lay. I myself had to pull some frames of food on Friday and I'm supposed to know what I'm doing.....so be careful of giving them even more food. How heavy does the hive feel?

Yes similar here as well Dani, quite a few hives lacking space with pollen and early nectar coming in. I was ill prepared in 1 apiary and need to go back today with few empty frames.
Weather is going downhill from tomorrow so I anticipate stores to go down.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Weather is going downhill from tomorrow so I anticipate stores to go down.

Yes....I actually need that

 

[elainemary]

Yes....I actually need that

Yes me too, far behind on non bee related ‘admin’ as well as bee related reading! Looking forward to a few days of cool weather

 

[ericbeaumont]

did not open the hive to inspect the hive after the winter.

Find an opportunity on a windless day at 12C to check briefly for eggs & worker brood. The queen must have space to lay; if winter stores limit her then the recipes below are for inevitable April swarming.

quite a few hives lacking space with pollen and early nectar coming in

reporting strong colonies with too much food and little space for the queen to lay

Take out one or two frames of stores (keep in a sealed box for later) and add one or two frames of drawn comb or foundation at the edge of the brood nest.

checked the amount of fondant left which is above the super and provided a little more fondant

You're adding fondant when many of us are removing stores in response to incoming spring nectar. Heft the hive with one hand. Heavy? Better remove the fondant!

Down south a lot of nectar is coming in (dark, not sure) and I was scraping honey from nucs yesterday, taking out a frame of stores and adding foundation.

What is in flower in Manchester, and is it going into your combs? If bees are storing fondant then a mixture of that and fresh nectar will mean that you cannot call it honey.

Queen excluder on or off? If they have the run of 1.5 boxes the extra space may buy you time, but have a brood box & frames ready to double brood next month.

At this time of year colonies expand stratospherically and the beekeeper must read the signs and act. I get the impression, John, that you're feeling your way and hope that textbook guidance will be enough; in reality, flexibility and rapid response is the key for the next three months.

Truth is that bees are infinitely variable and yours may have either a drone laying queen (lost cause at this time of year) or are preparing queen cells (swarms have been known in January). Until you open up you won't know and cannot make informed decisions.

 

[john1]

Hi,
I opened the hive yesterday when the whether was good. I have attached the images.

The first image is from top of the Polycarbonate Eke. This eke sits just above the Super with honey (not all of them have honey). I can see the bees are making brace combs above the super frames within the eke.

The second image is from top the brood box. Some eggs were broken.

The third is a frame which in the brood box close to the internal brood box wall.
There was not much honey in it. Most of the brood frames had honey and pollen. So, took the frame near the wall and replaced with an empty foundation frame.

Thanks,

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

lose the eke - it's not needed - it's just unwanted space above the brood nest and an open invitation to be filled with brace comb.