In a message dated 26/10/2008 16:26:26 GMT Standard Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

The key,  however, is dividing. Natural colonies
swarm regularly and I believe this  is partly to rejuvenate the hive


To amplify what Peter wrote: the shook swarm will separate the bees from  
many of their pests and diseases.  If you shake them onto starter strips  and 
leave it for a couple of days before giving them a feed (if  there's little 
nectar coming it) they will digest any AFB spores in their  guts.  There will be a 
break in brood rearing so any mites they're  carrying will be desperate to 
breed and will enter the first new brood cells  just before they are capped.  
Time it right and you will be able to remove  that first patch of sealed brood 
and take away the vast majority of the  mites.  You can do this at dandelion 
time so they have time to re-build  their strength before the main flow.  You've 
probably solved most of the  usual problems for the season in one go.
 
A less drastic method is the artificial swarm. This is done in the swarming  
season ie, when there are drones around. The queen, on a frame of unsealed  
brood, is placed on the old site and frames with starter strips fill the  
remainder of the brood nest.  Add queen excluder and supers. All the flying  bees 
will return to reinforce her. At first they will have a strong foraging  force 
and virtually no brood to feed, and nowhere but the supers to put the  incoming 
nectar (maybe it would be a good idea to add another super if there's a  flow 
on).  Again, remove the first sealed brood with the mites.  The  remainder of 
the colony will have plenty of stores [check - feed if really  necessary] and 
nurse bees but no queen substance. They will rear queen  cells.  Sometimes in 
their rush they may choose larvae above the optimum  age so be prepared to 
look in on day 4 and remove any that are already sealed  PROVIDED that there are 
also some unsealed ones.
 
The remainder are of known maximum age and so you can plan what to do next  
according to your needs.  You could take a crop of queen cells to re-queen  
other colonies if you are satisfied with the initial colony's health and  temper. 
 You could split again to make further increase.  Simplest  would be to allow 
the new queen to emerge, mate and start laying. Again, remove  the first 
sealed brood. After that you can run the two hives as separate  colonies; you can 
use the daughter colony to reinforce the parent from time to  time during the 
season by moving it to the other side of the parent. Towards the  end of the 
season you can unite them, allowing the bees, in their own time, to  choose 
between mother and daughter. Then you have only one strong colony to get  through 
the winter.
 
One last point: if you use starter strips the hive must be level. This is  
easily achieved with a spirit level (or a bottle of drink) and some wooden  
wedges.
 
Chris
 
 

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