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I made a split last Monday. If it went well, the new hive should be capping queen cells today. If anyone wants to come down, we will go in and see if it has worked. Hopefully, we will find the old queen laying in one box, and the other will have queen cells drawn out fully and ready to cap.
If you have never seen a queen cell, it may be a chance to learn to recognize one when you have your own hives.

If interested, call me at 336-302-2708
Wally

Wally,

Thank you very much for having me over to visit. Seeing the queen, queen cells, eggs, larva, and the honey. Pulling frames with the bees everywhere, so far not one sting. Working the bees with a vail and sometimes no vail. Reading about how to do things is good but "Hands On" is the best. Can't ask for a better teacher. Also Thanks to Wayne and veteran bee keeper Kenrick.

Thanks,

Ski

Wally,

I did the math on the split that you helped me with. Here is what I came up with.

We split on Tuesday March 13.

Queen cells should be capped between March 21-23.

Queen should hatch between March 29-31.

The Last brood in the split should hatch on April 3.

The new Queen should begin to lay eggs between April 10-12.

And the new brood should begin to hatch between May 1-3, leaving 4 full week where no brood is hatching at all.

Does this sound right to you.

The cell, if established on day 3, was layed on Mar. 10. Will cap on Mar. 20.
Should emerge Mar. 26. Should be laying Apr. 1 or abouts.

Fist emergence about Apr. 21.

Last egg prior to split layed Mar. 13. Will emerge Apr. 3.

Days without eggs, open brood, or capped brood, 0 to 7 days, beginning near Apr. 1.

I know now what a queenless hive sounds like. They are loud, and busy. I think that the queen has hatched today, or is at least piping. There is a marked difference in the behaviour and noise from the split.

(I used to be No=-Bee's)

Can a split be made after the honey flow with much success???

Very easily. It just takes more feed and maybe a pollen patty or two.

Wally, how has the cold affected the honey flow and when do you think it will be over? Is there an indicator that you look for that tells you it is over?? Maybe the lack of honey in your super ???

It has definately stopped the flow for the last week. We will have to see how long it takes for the blooms to rejuvenate. Here is a link to the honey plant bloom times in NC.

http://www.ncbeekeepers.org/plants.htm

Other than that, I can't help with the flow times other than just check for open honey and increased stores from time to time.

Then would you suggest trying to feed again??? All I am after is drawn comb right now. It has been too cold to go in and see what type of work they have done on the new deep. I took the water away because of robbing. With the warm weather headed back would you introduce the water again???