Let’s talk splits

[Elinor N. LEVINE]

Hi Danny,

This is an interesting topic. Can you share with us some of your favourite methods of doing a split? Do you have any advice, after 43 years, for those of us planning to do a walk away split?

Does anyone else have suggestions?

Elinor

[Danny Williamson]

Hello Elinor,                                                                              I would say my most favorite method when doing a split is first to have at least a location that is 5 miles away or more. The reason for that is so that the bees do not go back to the main hive. I first select the strongest healthiest hive to do a split with. Then I take three frames of brood, nurse bees, drones and two of the best looking queen cells that are on those frames and put them in a nuc. Then I put empty frames back in the main hive that your doing a split with. It takes timing with some hives to get them to produce the queen cells though. I have had some strong hives      that were overcrowded and wouldn't make any queen's cells. So I would get a frame of brood with eggs and most of the time they make there own queen. Or sometimes I would just buy a queen to make a split    so the hive will have a head start. But I prefer to keep the strongest healthiest genetics with the bees I am doing a split with.                                                   

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[Elinor N. LEVINE]

Hi Danny,

Thanks for that great information.

Elinor

On Feb 23, 2026, at 12:09 PM, Danny Williamson <bmovi...@gmail.com> wrote:



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