I am fascinated by the Taranov split, at least partially because it defies logic. Until I tried it, I was not convinced: What’s this? I’m supposed to believe that nurse bees dumped from their hive will not cross a four-inch air moat to get back home? What gives? Bees have wings, last I checked. I […] Read more
This is one of the easiest ways to split a colony and, if things go wrong, it is easy to undo. I call it a vertical split, but some call it a top split, an over/under split, or a top-and-bottom split. Like all the other splits I have described, it is just a variation on […] Read more
In simplest terms, a split is made by dividing an existing colony into two or more parts. Many variations exist. In fact, the methods of making splits—and the reasons for making them—are as varied as the beekeepers who do them. The most common reasons for making splits are to: While there are many different ways […] Read more
The overnight split is a good choice if you are unable to find your queen but you want to know where she is after the split is complete. The downside is that it takes two days to complete. Here are the basic steps: Prepare a new brood box to hold the split. The new brood […] Read more
I’ve described many types of splits in the past, including: Walkaway splits Swarm control splits Cut-down splits Shook swarm splits But now, of course, someone wants to know about Mississippi splits. I have to say, I just love that phrase. It has rhythm. To me it sounds like a dance, an ice skating trick, or […] Read more
Today I split my top-bar hive. It is eleven months to the day since they swarmed down from the sky and took over the abandoned hive. Twice during the winter I thought I was losing them, and twice I moved them into the garden shed to keep them warm. But ever since last Sunday (when […] Read more
A cut-down split is a special technique often used by comb honey producers. The purpose of a cut-down split is to maximize the number of foragers that are bringing in nectar by minimizing the amount of brood a colony has to care for. With little brood to feed, foragers concentrate on bringing home nectar rather […] Read more