I am planning on doing a mid season split - No flames please -  and am
wanting to do it without moving the new split 2-3 miles away!   I have read
the books, looked over the BEE-L archives (splits/divides), and visited
many informative web sites to collect information.  But, would really like
some advice from people who have practical experience.   Any comments (good
or bad) on my 'approach' would be appreciated.  I will try to overprovide
the information so I dont leave out any information that may be important -
and avoid the 'you forgot to mention....' feedback.
 
I'm a newbee, live in SC, USA.  It doesn't get cold until October, the bees
are in my backyard (ie easy to pour on the 1:1 syrup and pollen ) and we
have a late season (Aug/Sep) flow of wild weeds to help with 'natural'
stores for overwintering.  Our major flow for surplus is April through May.
Our nights normally have temperatures of 70-75 degrees F, and out Days are
upwards of 95-105 with Humidity at 60% or better.
 
My current apiary consists of 2 hives located in my back yard.  I have
built another hive stand between the two hives (Approx 2 feet from the hive
I am wanting to divide).  The hive I plan to split was installed this
spring, and now consists of 2 hive bodys (10 frames each - drawn comb) with
2 shallow supers 80% drawn comb filled with 1:1 syrup (been planning for
the divide since installation and the bees have drawn all this since 4/22).
I recently placed the undrawn foundation into the center of the supers, and
expect them to be drawn shortly.  Current brood pattern is acceptable, but
there are signs of being honey-bound.  The hive bodies have been reversed
(this weekend) to allow for a distribution of brood, and to ensure usage of
all drawn comb.
 
   I plan to set up the new hive between the two existing hives.  When I go
to divide, I will set the top hive body from the existing hive onto the new
hive stand.  Then I will examine the frames from both hive bodies.
   Examination of frames will consist of shaking bees from the frame into
the new hive body.  If the frame is mostly eggs or larvae, it will go into
the new hive body.  If the frame is mostly Capped brood, it will go into
the old hive body.  The queen, when found will be placed into the old hive
body (with capped brood).  Frames with mostly honey/pollen will be equally
divided between the hives.  Once completed, the following configuration
should exist:
 
Old hive:  Queen, Capped Brood, Forager bees, Honey/Pollen. Foragers in the
field and in the new hive should return to this hive as well, Right? and a
number of house bees that were not shaken from the frames should be in here
as well.
 
New Hive:  No Queen, Eggs, Larvae, House Bees, Honey/Pollen.  This hive
will be re-queened.
 
This hopefully will leave most of the house bees where they are needed -
with the eggs, larvae in the new hive.  The old hive (with capped brood)
should soon have house bee's emerge from capped brood.
 
On top of both hives, I will add another hive body with 10 frames of
foundation, and one of the supers of drawn comb and stores.
 
Both hives will be kept with a constant supply of 1:1 syrup.  Pollen
substitue (With yeast and natural pollen) will be used when I notice a lack
of incoming bees with a full pollen sack.
 
Basically, this is what most of the books and other information I have read
states to do.  Should this work, or is it going to too much detail?  I have
seen methods described that do not involve the division of frames, but just
split the hive bodies and examine a few frames to ensure the half wich
contains the queen and a relativly equal distribution of brood.
 
 Any practical feedback would be appreciated.  Some of the old timers in my
bee club say it cant be done without relocating the new hive, but I've read
from many of you that side by side splits are relativly easy!
 
Thanks
Rod Billett
Lexington, SC USA