Wade said . . .

Currently, I do no splits. Instead, I let those hives that have excess
population swarm naturally. I then collect the swarms as the sole means
of hive increase.  . . . The downside is the intense labor needed to
collect and hive up the swarms especially in mid May. "

A second serious consideration here is the ability to get the swarms if
bees are not close to your work - unless of course, you are retired!

This is the way that my neighbor does his bees, but encourages me not to do
so until I have the ability to be at home more of the time.  He enjoys
retirement - and catching swarms is a welcomed change of pace to his
relaxed lifestyle - though this spring he complained that they were going
to work him to death.

Tim Rich
Western North Carolina, USA