# Split now or in Spring

**URL:** <https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/split-now-or-in-spring/10176>\
**Category:** Swarms & Bee Catching\
**Created:** [March 1, 2017, 7:06am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/split-now-or-in-spring/10176 "2017-03-01T07:06:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![edmondo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f9b8f/32.png) [@edmondo](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/edmondo)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2017, 7:06am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/split-now-or-in-spring/10176/1 "2017-03-01T07:06:57Z")

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Hi there,

Should i split my double brood box hives now or in spring ? any thoughts ?

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**Author:** ![Michael\_Bush](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/michael_bush/32/1024_2.png) [@Michael\_Bush](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Michael_Bush)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2017, 2:23pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/split-now-or-in-spring/10176/2 "2017-03-01T14:23:00Z")

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Not enough information. Where are you? How strong is the colony? How warm is your weather? Is there anything blooming?

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**Author:** ![JeffH](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/jeffh/32/7192_2.png) [@JeffH](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/JeffH)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2017, 11:08pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/split-now-or-in-spring/10176/3 "2017-03-01T23:08:03Z")

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Hi Ed, I would wait til early spring. Make sure there is plenty of honey & pollen coming in. Pick a nice warm day & try to do the split before the bees start preparing to swarm.

It all depends on what climate you’re in. In a sub-tropical zone where I am, as far as the bees are concerned, Spring starts well before our official Winter ends. Once the days start to lengthen & the flowers are producing lots of pollen, the bees start to work towards swarming.

I try to monitor the hive’s populations so I can exercise preemptive swarm control measures.

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**Author:** ![edmondo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f9b8f/32.png) [@edmondo](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/edmondo)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 9:19am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/split-now-or-in-spring/10176/4 "2017-03-29T09:19:18Z")

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Thanks Jeff,

Apologies for the lack of info Michael.

The hive in question is somewhat strong and there is solid brood pattern. The reason i ask is one of the experienced beekeeper suggested to do it now so when spring comes the bees don’t have to content with swarming urges and can get a head start on nectar collection.

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**Author:** ![Michael\_Bush](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/michael_bush/32/1024_2.png) [@Michael\_Bush](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Michael_Bush)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 3:06pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/split-now-or-in-spring/10176/5 "2017-03-29T15:06:05Z")

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I still don’t know where you are located. I like strong splits. If I don’t have two ten frame deeps (or four eight frame mediums) full of bees, brood and honey and if the bees are not in the spring buildup, I probably am not going to split. Even then it depends on how close the main flow is. If the main flow is imminent, I may attempt to keep them from swarming for a little longer. If the main flow is a way’s off and they are that strong, I may need to split to keep them from swarming. It’s all in the timing…