Hive splitting is a deliberate beekeeping technique that mimics the natural reproductive process of a bee colony, known as swarming. This artificial division manages the population dynamics of a strong hive, preventing an uncontrolled natural swarm. The goals are to maintain manageable colony sizes, increase the total number of hives in an apiary, and mitigate the loss of bees and resources that occur during a natural swarm event. By preemptively dividing a strong colony, beekeepers gain control over the timing and composition of the new daughter colonies.
Determining the Right Time and Conditions for Splitting
The optimal time to split a hive falls in late spring or early summer, coinciding with the local nectar flow and peak brood rearing cycle. This timing ensures the new colony has abundant natural resources to support its growth. A colony should demonstrate significant strength, typically covering at least eight to ten frames with bees across two deep boxes, before a split is attempted.
A healthy, consistent brood pattern indicates the colony is ready. Beekeepers should also look for physical signs of congestion, such as “bearding,” where a cluster of bees hangs outside the hive entrance, or when the brood nest frames are “backfilled” with nectar. These indicators suggest the hive is running out of space and preparing to swarm naturally, making it an ideal candidate for an artificial split. Warm nighttime temperatures are also important, as a smaller, newly formed colony needs to maintain a consistent brood temperature of approximately 95°F (35°C).
Essential Equipment and Preparation
Before opening the parent hive, all necessary equipment for the new colony must be prepared and placed nearby. A new hive body, which can be a full deep box or a smaller five-frame nucleus (nuc) box, is required to house the split. This new home needs frames (ideally a mixture of drawn comb and foundation), an inner cover, an outer cover, and a reduced entrance to help the smaller colony defend itself.
Tools like a smoker, a hive tool, and protective gear are necessary for the operation. Preparation involves deciding on the queen strategy for the new split. The beekeeper can purchase a mated queen ahead of time for immediate introduction or plan a “walk-away split,” which relies on existing eggs and young larvae in the transferred frames to raise a new queen. Supplemental feeding equipment, such as a frame feeder or top feeder, should also be on hand, as the new colony will require sugar syrup to help them draw comb and build up their population.
Step-by-Step Procedure for Creating the Split
The physical act of splitting the hive involves transferring specific resources and bees from the populous parent colony into the new equipment. The first task is locating the queen; knowing her location determines which strategy to follow. In most splitting methods, the goal is to ensure the queen remains in the original hive, allowing the new split to be queenless initially.
Resource division is precise, requiring a balanced mix of brood and stores for the split to survive independently. A typical five-frame split should contain two frames of capped brood (to replenish the workforce), one frame with eggs and young larvae, and one to two frames of honey and pollen for immediate sustenance. It is necessary to transfer a significant number of nurse bees, which are essential for feeding the young larvae. This is often achieved by shaking bees from one or two additional brood frames into the new box.
The “walk-away split” allows the new colony to create a queen from a young larva or egg, a process that takes three to four weeks until the new queen begins laying. If a purchased queen is introduced, the split is kept queenless briefly before the caged queen is installed. To prevent older forager bees from drifting back to the original location, the new split should be moved at least two to three miles away for a week, or placed immediately adjacent to the original hive with its entrance facing a different direction.
Post-Split Management and Monitoring
Successful management after the split is necessary for the establishment of both the parent hive and the new daughter colony. The first check of the new split should occur three to four days after the division. This confirms the bees have not been accidentally left queen-right and, for a walk-away split, that they have begun drawing out emergency queen cells from the young larvae. If a caged queen was introduced, this check confirms she has been released and accepted by the colony.
An inspection of the original parent hive is necessary within seven to ten days to ensure they have not attempted to swarm or create excessive queen cells. The most significant milestone check for a walk-away split occurs three to four weeks after the division. This allows time for the new queen to emerge, mate, and begin laying eggs. Finding new eggs and a developing brood pattern confirms the split is now “queen-right” and viable. Supplemental feeding with a 1:1 sugar syrup solution is recommended for the new split, as this energy source helps the smaller colony draw out comb and build up its population quickly.