laurence edwardsOwner at Black Mountain Honey

Mastering Early Season Splits: Tips for Beekeepers

7 Oct 2024 · 0 min

Watch on YouTube

0:28

In this segment of the YouTube video, Laurence Edwards explains two key practices for successful early‑season hive splits. First, he stresses the need for ample brood at all stages, especially capped brood, because it simplifies temperature regulation for the new colony. Second, he advises moving the split to a separate apiary roughly three miles away, which allows beekeepers to balance the hive boxes more effectively than if the split remains in the original apiary. While it’s possible to keep the split on‑site, Edwards recommends the off‑site approach for optimal balance and colony health.

They need to have enough brood in all stages, but preferably enough capped brood, 'cause that means that it's so much easier for the colony to regulate its temperature. The other thing that I'll chuck in there is if you're doing these early season splits, makes it so much easier to take a split from one apiary, move it 3 miles away, do it in a separate apiary, 'cause you're able to balance the boxes so much better. You can do it in the same apiary, but again, not my preferred choice. I would always recommend going to a separate apiary so you get that perfect balance.