The Walk-Away Split Pros and Cons

Reader Contribution by Julia Miller
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A walk away split is exactly what it sounds like. Split the hive in half and walk away. Let the bees do what bees naturally do. Honeybees are predisposed to maintain the species by swarming. A beekeeper can take advantage of this instinct and control the swarming action by creating a split. This keeps the bees in the apiary and increases the number of colonies for the beekeeper.

To set up a walk away split, set a new bottom board a few feet in front of the existing hive. Take the top brood box and place it on the new bottom board facing the old hive. Add a new inner cover and outer cover, add some sugar syrup if you choose. The only thing you need to make note of is that there is open brood in both boxes.

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