Late spring marks the beginning of swarming for honey bees, mainly for the successfully overwintered colonies. After utilizing the spring blooms to build up their colonies and the queen flexing the egg-laying prowess to build up the population, the hives are usually overcrowded at this time. A crowded hive is always at risk of swarming. This is a scenario where a colony naturally divides into two, and the former queen leaves the hive to seek a new nest with about half of the population. 

To avoid losses, beekeepers tend to split their hives when they realize the colony is planning to swarm. In preparation to swarm, the colony prepares new queen cells and reduces the queen’s food to help her lose weight so she can fly. A beekeeper knows a colony is preparing to swarm after spotting peanut-shaped queen cells( swarm cells) hanging from the comb. 

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How many times can you split a hive per year?

The number of times you can split in a year depends on the health and population of a colony. You cannot do any splits for weak hives, while for strong ones, you can do up to five splits in a year, but this is at the expense of a honey production. Some colonies are very healthy and prolific and tend to outburst in population when food resources are available such that you can split several times in a season. As a rule, avoid dividing the first-year hive and late in the season. Splits should be done only on colonies that have overwintered successfully and have a large population of bees in late spring.

What are the benefits of splitting a hive?

Beekeepers naturally increase the number of hives by dividing a bee colony. Buying a new bee package to start a new beehive can be a bit costly. They can also make a decent income by selling the splits as nucs( nucleus colonies). Splitting also helps to maintain healthy colonies that are easy to manage. Each split will require 3-5 frames of brood and other frames containing food( pollen and honey), sufficient worker bee population, and their queen. You can also introduce a caged queen or allow the bees to raise their own queen. 

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When should you split a colony?

Splitting is done in late spring when there are abundant food resources and ample time to recover. The colonies usually have the whole summer season to get established. You should avoid dividing a colony too late in the season since it needs time to build a substantial population for winter.  A colony should be divided when it has a large population of bees  at least ten frames of brood) and is overcrowded. Bees tend to pour over the top frames in a crowded hive when you open.  Such a colony is a candidate for swarming. Prior to swarming, a colony will produce swarm cells on the bottom frames in the brood area. When you realize the queen cells (swarms cells) are capped, you should act quickly since they can swarm anytime. Splitting a hive that is not strong enough can result in two failed hives. While it is primarily done in spring, it can also be done in summer if you have a strong and healthy colony.

Hive Splitting: Good or Bad?

Hive splitting has its ups and downs for beekeepers. When done right, it helps prevent swarming and boosts the number of colonies. It’s handy for growing your beekeeping operation or selling smaller colonies. Plus, it can freshen up older colonies.

But too much splitting can weaken existing hives and lower honey production. It needs careful timing, considering the weather, and making sure the new colonies have what they need. So, while hive splitting can be helpful, beekeepers have to be smart about it to keep their hives healthy and productive.