Distribute brood, bees, and stores evenly between splits

Give each split a fair share of resources: 3-4 frames of brood (mix of capped and open), 1-2 frames of honey and pollen, and enough nurse bees to cover all brood frames. Shake additional bees from 1-2 extra frames into the weaker split if needed to ensure adequate cluster size.

Why It Works

A split with too few bees cannot maintain brood nest temperature (34-35 C / 93-95 F), leading to chilled brood and colony collapse. A split without adequate honey stores (at least 4-5 kg / 9-11 lb) risks starvation during the 3-4 week broodless gap while a new queen mates and begins laying. Balanced distribution gives both halves the critical mass needed to survive independently.

Steps

1. Select 3-4 brood frames from the center of the parent colony -- include frames with eggs, open larvae, and capped brood
2. Place 1 frame of capped honey and 1 frame of pollen on either side of the brood nest in each split
3. Shake nurse bees from 1-2 additional frames into the split that appears lighter on bees
4. Feed both splits 1:1 sugar syrup for 2-3 weeks if nectar flow is not strong

Tips

• The split that keeps forager bees (stays in the original location) will appear stronger initially -- compensate by giving more nurse bees to the moved split
• Avoid splitting colonies with fewer than 8 frames of bees; they lack the population to sustain two viable units
• Move the new split at least 3 km (2 miles) away, or forager bees will return to the original hive location