Adding a second Hive

Beekeeping - Basics
1

Hello all
So I’m a first year beekeeper, going well. Here in Australia just about to go into my or our first Spring (yay big moment). From when I last checked the hive before the cool weather my girls filled out around 80% of the frames and going well.

I mentioned to a family friend that I started beekeeping and he came around the next day to give me a brand new full 10 frame hive, with wax for free. Very generous of him so I have payed him for it.

So when I eventually get around to adding a second hive, I will most likely split the first. Just have a few questions.

  1. When splitting, will I need to buy a new queen for that hive or let them make a new one. Any risks involved with them making a new one?

  2. Eventually I assume after some time my first queen will die in my first hive, would I just requeen or also wait?

  3. When splitting the new hive, do I put it close to the first? I would think the new hive would try and rob the first?

Getting ready for my girls to have thier first spring, should be exciting!

Thanks, Tom

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2

You can do either, but in your pat of the world, most people would probably let the hive make their own new queen

Same as above. I would only buy a queen if the new queen made by the hive was poorly mated, or had undesirable genetics (mean temper in offspring)

You will get a variety of opinions about this. Generally when making a split, it is good to separate the two halves at first, until the queen less half has requeened and has good numbers. After that, you can put the hives side by side if you like, and you shouldn’t have any problems