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Subject: Orange County, NC Beekeepers

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  • From: "Thomas Grizzle" <griz AT mindspring.com>
  • To: <ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [ocba] Split
  • Date: Wed, 9 Jan 2013 14:02:08 -0500

Hi all,

 

I live in an urban setting in Chapel Hill and have one Langstroth hive.  I plan to do a split this year, one hive into two, and have some questions. 

 

I have one deep which was started in April with a new queen and shipment of bees from Busy Bee.  They seem to be doing quite well, and today numerous (>100) bees were observed outside the hive, coming and going, arriving back with lots of pollen on their legs.  I know they have a fair amount of stored honey and I am optimistic they will make it through the winter.  I have a second Langstroth awaiting the split.  I have enough drawn comb for about 15 frames. 

 

When do “the experts” say a split should be initiated?  I am sure it is too early, but I just want to be ready.  Also, with Global Climate Change, I’d bet money we are going to have a warmer than “usual” winter, although it’s anybody’s guess what usual is anymore.  Last March was certainly very warm, and I wonder what was learned among area beekeepers with the warm weather in winter as it pertains to doing splits.  I have read a couple of books about doing splits and I think I have a feel for it.  The main thing is to try to ID the queen and keep track of her (which I have yet to have success with), try to put roughly equal frames with brood and honey into each hive, do it on a day when the bees are out foraging, and move the original hive and place it next to the new hive facing where the original hive used to be.  Bees returning from foraging are then forced to choose between two “new” hives.  In a couple of weeks both hive can be returned to their final location.  Is this all correct?  If wrong, please chime in, and certainly if I forgot something, same case.

 

My small hive beetle issue (mentioned in a couple of previous emails) has gone away at the moment.  I apparently blundered my way into managing it correctly (decreased space, strong hive, “Beetle Jail” traps), or else there never was an issue and I was needlessly worried.

 

Many thanks!


Tom Grizzle

 



  • [ocba] Split, Thomas Grizzle, 01/09/2013

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