to split or not to split?

[Kate Atchley]

You know the types: experienced beekeepers who say they never split their colonies until there are queen cells. This makes for the best queens.

Then there's Dave Cushman and others who do or have advocated splitting the bees before they begin swarm preparations - using Horsley, Demaree or other methods.

Here in the wild West Highlands weather can be the enemy of planned beekeeping. Weekly inspections can be swept aside by wind and rain. You may think your bees may be preparing to swarm but be unable to get to them for ages - as in May 2011. Then the fine weather arrives and they are off before you know it.

So in 2011 I used Horsley boards, apparently successfully, in out-apiary colonies with strong, 2nd year queens (the coming season with prove the vigour of the queens). Then I could concentrate on the nearer colonies when the weather permitted inspection, after prolonged rain.

I'm inclined to make more Horsley boards and adopt this as a routine for the more distant colonies.

Please, dear members of the jury, tell us your verdict - to (pre)split or not to (pre)split - and the pros and cons which have led you to this view.

Thanks and I look forward to the discussion!

Kate

[Jon]

You can split a colony any time it suits depending upon whether you want honey, nucs or bees to fill apideas.
I do weekly inspections May June and July and if I find queen cells I split (do an artificial swarm).
I don't let them rear new queens from these queen cells as that is likely to perpetuate swarminess as you are selecting queens from colonies which have a tendency to swarm. I give the queenless part of the split a new queen or a new queen cell from a better colony.

If I want to make up a nuc at any time I remove a few frames of bees and brood from a strong colony and introduce a queen or a queen cell.

I haven't used horsley boards but I know folk who do and they seem to work.

My main issue would be that it is best to try and make increase from the stocks which are not producing queen cells all the time.