We Split One Hive Into Three Using Queen Cells the Bees Built Themselves, Part 2

If you watched inspection number ten you already know what was coming. We found two supercedure queen cells in hive one and a queen we weren’t ready to give up on — so instead of letting the colony supersede her we took matters into our own hands and split one hive into three separate colonies using the queen cells the bees built themselves. This is one of the most exciting and nerve wracking things you can do as a beekeeper. A hive split done right gives you more colonies without spending a dollar on new queens. A hive split done wrong and you risk losing everything you started with. We walked through every decision carefully and documented the whole process so you can see exactly what we did and why. Here is what a hive split using queen cells actually involves. You need to divide the existing frames of brood, bees, honey, and pollen into separate boxes in a way that gives each new colony a realistic chance of survival. The original queen stays with one split. The remaining splits each receive one of the capped queen cells — the bees inside will finish developing, emerge, take their mating flights, and begin laying if everything goes according to plan. Nothing about that process is guaranteed, which is what makes it worth watching. We went from two hives to four in a single afternoon. Whether all four make it is a question the next few weeks will answer. We will be documenting every inspection closely as the new queens develop and we find out whether this worked the way we planned. This is second year beekeeping in real time — making decisions with incomplete information and learning from whatever happens next. 🐝 Lily Rose Farmstead | Southern Indiana #hivesplit #apiary #beekeepingforbeginners #beekeeping #bees #homesteading #farmsteading #indiana #queencell #queen #splitting #beekeeper #hive #honey #honeybee