Splitting a bee colony with a queen cell

splitting should be done as close as possible to the time of natural swarming - ideally when the colony has queen cells. In the video the new split was placed where the mother colony had been, so a lot of foragers will join the split. The mother colony was placed at a new place. The queen cell was almost capped. (Sorry, my camera lens was dirty). More info at www.gaiabees.com

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• natural beekeeping
• gaiabees
• holistic beekeeping

[Gaiabees]

the smaller split stayed at the place of the origin hive, and the larger split was moved some 100 yards away. Michael. gaiabees@gmail.com

[Gaiabees]

they are normal honey bees - it is just another way of being with them, and horizontal hives make this even easier. Michael

[Gaiabees]

if you are interested, please let me know. I am selling them in the US.

More info at gaiabees@gmail.com

Michael

[thirteenfingers]

I like the method, it seems really gentle without the shaking often seen.

Can you tell us how you made sure not to put the queen in the new hive?

As far as I can tell (and I'm no expert) the idea is to have the queen stay in the original hive and be moved while the split raises a new virgin queen for itself in the location of the pre-split hive..

It didn't look like you checked the frame with the queen cell for the queen though, how can you know you didn't take her with it?

[Gaiabees]

@thirteenfingers you are right: Ideally the queen would stay stay in the original hive and be moved away from the home location. I did check most of the frame sides and when opening such a hive, the second half is still covered by the blanket - so providing darkness, which attracts the queen. Even if the queen is moved, it will still work. Thank you for your comment. Michael at gaiabees@gmail.com

[Mrmizilplix]

Flip flops, shorts, and a t-shirt, crazy!!! Also those were some funny looking hives. Seem to work fine

[Gaiabees]

@Mrmizilplix I think the bees like flip flops ...... :)

[VTYaYa]

@Gaiabees

Hi...just starting a community apiary and we are going to use different hive body styles.

Will email you about pricing for your hive body.

[hollybear61]

@VTYaYa ..looks like a file cabinet. :-P

[CHADwuvkittyz]

wow

[correacarlosroberto1]

Me espanto na execução da divisão não utilizar fumaça, por vezes tambem trabalho

com minhas abelhas sem proteção como voce, mas sempre com utilização de fumaça

visto ser minhas abelhas africazinadas.

Parabens pela calma no trabalho.

[jannassary]

HI I HAVE A Q' CAN YOU PLZ CLARIFY SPLITING THE HIVE WILL YOU LEAVE THE HIVE THERE WERE WE ALL CAN SEE OR WOULD YOU MOVE IT ELSE WERE. BECAUSE THE FERMONES OF THE OLD QUEEN WILL ATTACT THE BEES BACK TO HER. IS THIS TRUE THUS LEAVING THE NEW HIVE BEELESS. PLZ COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT YOU DID NEXT AND IF IT WORKED THANK YOU.

[jannassary]

SIMPLE PRACTICAL, SOMEONE WROTE SHORTS,T-SHIRT AND FLIP FLOPS (^_~) CRAZY AGREE BUT RATE YOU FOR THAT...THUMBS UP..! I LOVED YOUR HIVES MY NEXT ONE IS GOING TO BE LIKE YOURS HOPEFULLY YOU SPLITTING THE HIVES MAKING ANOTHER WAS COOL MAN!!!

[newmysite]

hi what kinda bees do you have that dont sting you?? how is this possible?, please tell me. i keep getting stung by mine ouch!