Bill wrote:
Walkaways
> are nothing new and are well documented in bee books, just the technique
> differs. All are a way to get splits with minimum effort.

I think Bill sums walkaways up.
The point Kirk made about timing factors in most of the time. A mated queen
speeds up the process plus when bees return to the Midwest from almonds we
can not raise our own queens or even use cells as we do not have mature
drones.

Walkaways are a bit of a gamble as are cells at times but most professional
beekeepers have experimented with walkaways. Another tool for the beekeeper
tool chest.

I will say that only using walkaway splits will *in my opinion* set bad
traits in your bees. Some of the most aggressive bees I have worked years
ago came from beekeepers using walkaway splits year after year.

When you raise your own queens from a chosen breeder or buy queens/cells
from a chosen breeder queen you will *in my opinion* end up with better
yards of bees in all aspects.

bob

"A good queen does not cost but pays dividends".


> 

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