I am getting ready to start the splitting process that I talked about two posts ago. My thoughts are to put two 5 frame nuc boxes side by side on top of the brood boxes so the bees can build comb. I am going to take one of them off when the comb is nearly complete and let the queen lay eggs in the nuc that is left, then later pull it off keeping the queen in the nuc and taking both nucs to another yard and double stacking so the bees will grow strong enough to place in a 10 frame hive. If all goes well, then I will have 10 colonies from the five colonies in that apiary.

Explanation time. When I ordered the nuc boxes from Rossman Apiaries, in Moultrie, GA., I had them to shave about 1/2″ off the end pieces so there would be no open space on the out side of the nuc boxes. Five wooden frames will just set in real snug. I have gone to the plastic frames and there is a little space in the nuc box so I don’t have to pry too much to get the frames out.

Now back to the narrative:

I really do not want to disturb the one colony that is still sitting by itself in the lady’s garden. It has been there for 5 years now and all I have to do to it is… super and pull honey. I have not had to do anything to it but make sure the bees have plenty of room to put nectar.

I will have to actually go into it this year just to change the brood box. It is still good, but I think a new paint job is in order.

This post is  what I am going to do. The next post, hopefully, will be what I did do. If I do not procrastinate again, then you will able to know just what I did and how.

Until then, keep you veil close, your smoker lit, and your hive tool sharp.