wow ....  such a lot of information from many of people so quickly.  Thank you for sharing your views and experience it is certainly very helpful.  Like really very helpful.

I will just add comment and respond to the questions asked in the posts .... 

allen - 

Wild bees around ....  no none seen and the farm workers have not noticed any.

Keep bees closed up for three days .....   hmmm ....   not in this part of the world .....  it is getting hot right now and I would not want to confine the bees they would not be happy and possibly abscond when freedom appeared.

Three days of unbroken rain ....  well it is the hot season right now moving towards the rainy season, it should be dry for the next month or more.

I have never thought about counting drones.  I did make a test split a couple of weeks ago and the new queen did eventually start laying so I guess there are enough.


Peter

Yes, single brood boxes.  There are ten frames in each colony at present and I am going to make that two fives.  The local practice here is to take two frames of brood and make that your split but I do not like that approach much since you end up with a very weak split.

"can't be a big hill" ....  well it is really steep....  a dare not take the track on a bicycle, walking can mean falling down on the slope and to drive needs a really low gear  ratio four wheel drive (but there is a way from another track that is easier ...  just need to find a key to a gate)    :)


Dave

"If you are working the bees during a flow"  Yes, it is just starting now.

"......bad if the hives are lined up in a straight row" .....   ok ooops.....  that is how mine end up but this is necessary to make practical access to the hives ...  the line follows a track.

Yes, the splits will be raising their own queens.   The comments to move the old queen to the new location so that any bees that get lost strengthen the remaining colony is a really good thought.


Eugene

Thanks for the link.

I know of one other colony of bees about 1km away and nothing else.  To the best of my knowledge there is no sale of mated queens here.


allen

"Do you have ants?"  -- yes.  Large black ones and really small (pin prick size) brown ones.  The black ones are controlled by spreading lime on the ground under the hives and it is a good control.  Not a lot that can be done about the small ants.


Donald

very interesting suggestion which I think I  will adopt.  Thank you.

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