Hive split after SHB infestation

Beekeeping - Basics
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1

Hi,

This is my first season beekeeping i’m hoping for some advice.

I recently lost a hive to SHB infestation. I have disposed if the infestation and cleaned the hive. The Flow super frames are in the freezer.

I have another hive, an Langstroth hive with 2 brood boxes and a super. This hive is very healthy and both brood boxes are full of bees and all the frames are full of comb. Mimmial SHB and all new traps put in this week.

I have been researching splitting the 2 brood boxes and allowing the non queened one to produce another queen. As per the Australian Beekeeping Manual.

My plan is this.

Prepare a new patch of land and treat the ground with Permethrin.

Place both brood boxes side by side.

Wait a week of so for the new queen to be hatched and mate.

Inspect and wait for hives to be strong enough for the super to be added back to the hive.

Is this a viable method? Can anyone who has done this before provide detailed instructions or advice?

Many thanks

2

Hi Mike, welcome to the forum.

You might like to read the segment in the AB Manual on splitting a bit closer. I see a few flaws in your plan.

I would be dubious about placing a hive directly above ground that has been sprayed with a pesticide. The fumes rising would concern me.

If you take both brood boxes to a new location on your property, the bees will return to the old site.

Rather than separate the boxes, I would divide the frames of brood, on account that sometimes one of the brood boxes will contain only honey, with no brood. Make sure that both splits have young worker brood with eggs. That will guarantee either split can produce a new queen.

Learn the timelines, which I imagine is in the book.

I check for queen cells after 5 or 6 days. That lets me know which one is making a new queen. I don’t check after 10 days, in case a new virgin is running around, which makes her vulnerable to getting balled or squashed.

After I identify queen cells on day 5 or 6, I close the hive up, & don’t open it again until 28 or more days from when I did the split. It’s helpful to write down the date of the split. Opening the hive between day 10 and day 28, can on the odd occasion result in no queen.

When you inspect on day 28, or a bit longer, look for sealed worker brood. Keep the inspection brief, on account that young queens are vulnerable to getting balled & killed by the colony.

PS. When you do the split, you might like to check the populations. Swapping positions might be necessary in order to equalize the numbers. If one split gets too low in numbers, hive beetles can take it over.

3

Welcome to the forum, Mike and good on you for reading up and asking questions.
Jeff’s advice as usual is solid. My suggestion is to substitute your insecticide with chlorantraniliprole. It’s for treating lawn grubs and works brilliantly on SHB and wax moth larvae without risk to your bees. Its the main constituent in Yates Grub Kill & Protect https://www.bunnings.com.au/yates-2-5kg-grub-kill-and-protect-for-lawns_p0207184?store=7161&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADtbEB-GwNjacS7VvPcngqcideEv-&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImsfJk7DaigMVUA6DAx29rA6yEAQYCiABEgJVF_D_BwE

Mike

4

Thanks for the help guys. I really appreciate it.

I will use the Yates treatment in the ground and raise the hives up.

Also, I will ensure a good share of brood and honey between the 2 boxes before I split them.

I will do more research and put a plan together and update you

Cheers.