This is the method I use when making splits.
        I live about 25 miles North of Kansas City Mo.  I run about 30
hives when everything is going the right direction.
        I try to make my splits the first week in April.  (weather
permitting)  I start feeding the last of Feb if possible.  This will
give me good full frames of capped brood for my splits.  I try and get
about 5 frames.  Most of my hives are double hive bodies.
        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.  I learned this from a beekeeper who ran
400 hives in Missouri.
                                        KEN