I received an email from SEAsia asking for some advice on splits, which
I will provide, but...

1. Starting new colonies from packages, specifically how many brood
boxes and feeding.

Packages from Australia are usually ok. But you will have to get more than
the standard 2 pounders. 2 kg, packages are best. These usually fit into a
single hive, if five frames of foundation are used to hive the packages.
Timing will be tricky though, since Australian packages are usually
available in late October or early November. They get fully booked in
September. I recommend 5 frames for 2 kgs because the cluster will shrink
after a month due to die-off of the original bees. Just dip each package in
a basin of water; put into a hive; gently pull out the feeder can; get the
queen cage; pry off the aluminum metal strip which secures the entrance
hole; hang in the middle of frames. Feeding can be done by plastic bags. It
wil be best to do this at night. If you are quiet and move smoothly, you can
hive about 200 packages between midnight and sunrise. We never used smoke
when hiving packages. Reduce all entrances with masking tape and feed
continiously. This will minimize drifting and robbing. If you have varroa
free colonies ahead of time, it will be safer to insert 1 frame of open
brood with some bees in each hive. This will quiet the bees fast and will
give a needed hatching boost towards the third week after hiving. Our local
honeyflows start in late October and November, depending on the strength on
the nectarflows, colonies from packages build up and have surplus honey by
March. If the nectarflows start earlier or are stronger, queens become
honeybound and buildup can be slow and there is no surplus during the first
season.

2. Swarm management.

Swarming season starts here in September and ends when the nectarflows of
November are in full swing. We steal the frames with swarm cells to make up
mini mating nucs.

3. when to add honey supers.

Nectar sort of trickles in in the tropics, so we add a couple of frames per
week as needed.

4. If a single brood box, do you use queen excluders or how to you keep
the queen out of the supers.

We use excluders because nectarflows here are touch and go.

5. any other advice for tropical beekeeping, like a good book that deals
specifically with that climate.

All beekeeping here is area specific due to diverse flora and micro
climates.

Regarding swarming, see detailed instructions above. These are designed to
quiet the bees and make them feel at home. More likely, the individual's
bees are absconding.

Joel F. Magsaysay
ILOG MARIA HONEYBEE FARMS
Cavite Highlands, Philippines

Bill Truesdell
Bath, ME