>This is the method I use when making splits.
>        I remove 5 frames (if Possible) of capped brood.  SHAKE OFF all
>bees and set them into another hive body.  Replace the removed frames
>with either drawn comb or foundation.  Place a Queen excluder on top of
>the hive and set the new hive body on top with frames of capped brood
>plus a frame of pollen, 2 frames of stores and a couple empty frames and
>replace cover.  You can go ahead and make up more splits.
>        The bees will move up thru the excluder and cover the brood and
>now you have the right amount of bees.  Later in the day or even the
>next day go back remove top box fasten to bottom board place cover on
>and you now have a good split.  I will then put on trailer and move to
>new yard.  (All my bees are on two wheel trailers)
>        This way you are not looking for the Queen as all bees where
>shook off below the excluder.
 
Good way to make lots of splits. I would like to add a bit to this explanation.
 
You just take an empty box of drawn comb or foundation and dump it out. Now
find hives in the yard that are bombers(gobs of bees). Take off the top and
pull out a couple of frames of good brood, *gently shake* off the
bees(don't damage the pupa, Dorothy) and replace them with the empty combs.
Now put an excluder on the top of the same hive, set the empty box over
this same hive, and put the two or three combs in it.
 
Now proceed through the yard and pull combs from other hives and shake off
the bees and fill the prepared box until satisfied. You can pick and choose
as you go(from semi-strong hives maybe pull two or three combs-remember you
are leaving the bees behind to continue on..just tweak them out to peak out
at the honey flow).
 
At the end of a yard of thirty or forty you may have a dozen or so,
depending on the strength, of course. Art and science.
 
Now...as you are working..go back to the hives with an extra deep full of
bees sitting on top of the excluders and give them puffs of smoke
occasionally. By the time you are finished with the yard, the tops are
plugged with bees. We've even stick in a plug of wax to lift the inner
cover up to allow more room for the bees to fit in.
 
Lift off the third deep off the excluder, set it on a bottom, immediately
screen the entrance, and move it to the next yard.
 
I think it is better to wait  a day to place the queens, as alot of the
bees are older. My opinion is it is also a good idea to feed all the hives
that recieve new queens to improve acceptance.
 
Kind regards,
Kirk
 
*Kirk Jones/ Sleeping Bear Apiaries /971 S. Pioneer Rd./Beulah,MI 49617
*Sharon Jones/ BeeDazzled Candleworks /6289 River Rd./ Benzonia, MI 49616
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