When splitting a colony, you have two primary options for getting a queen into the new, queenless half. You can either introduce a commercially purchased mated queen, which provides speed and genetic certainty, or you can allow the bees to raise their own new queen from eggs you provide, a method often called a "walk-away" split.
Your choice between buying a queen and letting the bees raise one is a fundamental decision that trades control and speed for cost and local adaptation. Understanding the requirements and risks of each path is the key to successfully expanding your apiary.
The Two Paths to a New Queen
After you've moved the necessary frames into your new nucleus (nuc) box, that colony is now queenless. Your first major decision is how to resolve this.
Option 1: Introduce a Purchased Mated Queen
This is the fastest and most predictable method. You acquire a mated queen from a reputable breeder and introduce her to the queenless colony.
The primary advantage is speed. A mated queen will often begin laying eggs within a few days of being accepted, minimizing the "brood break" and allowing the colony's population to build much faster.
This method also gives you genetic control. You know the traits of the queen you are introducing, which is especially critical in areas with Africanized Honey Bees (AHB) where open-mating can lead to dangerously defensive colonies.
To introduce her, the queen typically arrives in a small cage. You place this cage between two frames in the nuc. The worker bees will slowly acclimate to her scent and release her by eating through a candy plug, or you can manually release her after 3-4 days.
Option 2: Allow the Colony to Raise Its Own Queen
This method, often called a "walk-away" split, leverages the bees' natural emergency response. If you ensure the queenless colony has the right resources, they will create their own new queen.
This requires no upfront cost for a queen. The resulting queen will also be open-mated with local drones, which can result in genetics well-suited for your specific climate and environment.
For this to work, it is absolutely essential that you include at least one frame containing fresh eggs or very young larvae in the nuc. The workers will select several of these larvae, feed them exclusively royal jelly, and build special, downward-facing queen cells to raise them in.
This process is significantly slower. It can take nearly a month from the day of the split until the new queen is mated and begins laying her own eggs.
Critical Factors for a Successful Split
Regardless of your requeening method, several factors determine whether your new colony will thrive or fail.
Timing Is Everything
The best time to make a split is during the spring and summer months. This is when colonies are in a growth phase and natural resources like nectar and pollen are abundant.
Most importantly, this is when a large population of drones (male bees) is available for a new queen to mate with. Trying to raise a queen in the fall or winter will almost certainly fail due to a lack of drones. Likewise, queen producers do not have queens available for purchase outside the main season.
Start with a Strong Parent Colony
You can only split a colony that is robust and healthy. The parent hive must be bursting with bees and have ample incoming resources to stimulate growth.
If there isn't a strong natural nectar flow, you should feed the colony a 1:1 sugar-water solution to simulate one before and after the split.
Assemble the Nuc Correctly
A successful nuc needs a balanced mix of resources. A good starting point is a five-frame nuc containing:
- One frame of honey and pollen for food.
- One or two frames of capped brood that will soon emerge to boost the population.
- One frame containing fresh eggs and young larvae. This is non-negotiable if you plan a walk-away split, but still beneficial when introducing a queen.
- One frame of empty foundation or drawn comb for expansion.
Ensure all frames have plenty of nurse bees clinging to them to care for the brood.
Prevent "Drifting"
Forager bees are oriented to their original hive location. If you simply place the new nuc next to the parent colony, most of the older bees will fly back, leaving the nuc critically depopulated.
To prevent this, move the new nuc at least 3-5 miles away from the original apiary for a week. This forces the bees to reset their internal GPS and orient to their new home.
Understanding the Trade-offs
Choosing a requeening strategy involves balancing risk, cost, and time.
The Case for a Purchased Queen: Control
This is the preferred method for beginners and commercial operators. The shortened brood break reduces the colony's vulnerability to pests and collapse. You get a known, productive queen laying eggs weeks sooner than in a walk-away split. In AHB zones, this is the only responsible choice.
The Case for a "Walk-Away" Split: Cost and Adaptation
The obvious benefit is that you don't have to buy a queen. For a hobbyist with multiple strong colonies, it's a simple way to make increases. Furthermore, some beekeepers believe that queens mated with local drones are inherently better adapted to survive in that specific environment.
The Risks of Raising a New Queen
A walk-away split can fail. The colony might not successfully raise a queen, the virgin queen could be eaten by a predator on her mating flight, or she may fail to mate successfully and become a non-productive "drone layer." Each failure means more lost time and increases the risk of the nuc dying out.
Making the Right Choice for Your Goal
Your decision should be based on your specific situation and priorities.
- If your primary focus is speed, predictability, and genetic control: Buy a mated queen from a quality breeder.
- If your primary focus is cost-savings and you accept the risks: Let the colony raise its own queen, but only from a very strong hive in the proper season.
- If you are a beginner or have only one or two hives: Buying a queen is the safer bet to ensure your split succeeds.
- If you are in an area with Africanized Honey Bees: You must buy a queen with known gentle genetics to ensure safety and manageability.
Understanding these two paths empowers you to make a deliberate choice that best fits your goals and beekeeping philosophy.
Summary Table:
| Option | Key Advantage | Key Disadvantage | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduce a Purchased Queen | Speed & Genetic Control | Upfront Cost | Beginners, Commercial Operators, AHB Zones |
| Walk-Away Split (Raise Own Queen) | Cost-Saving & Local Adaptation | Slower & Higher Risk | Experienced Hobbyists, Strong Colonies in Season |
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