Method splitting capensis swarms

Hi
I have a small honey business of about 150 hives of the capensis species (cape honey bee).
Last year was the first time I have tried to split about 10 hives to increase my number of hives.
I have found various methods of splitting on the internet.
The method I have used was to add a third super on top of a healhy swarm of bees.I have taken two frames from the brood box with nurser bees, capped and uncapped brood. I could see that there were uncapped larve in the frames.Next to that I have placed two frames filled with honey and pollen. This top box I seperated with a devider with a square hole covered with gause. This is to let the heat of the bottem hive go through to the top.
A small opening of about 5cm was left at the back of the hive for the bees to move in and out.
After 2 weeks all the nurser bees where gone and most of the splits where filled with ants. What am I doing wrong??

Leon
you wrote:I have a small honey business of about 150 hives of the capensis species (cape honey bee).
reply:
I take it that they are all small black bees then. Correct me if I am wrong.
You continued:
The method I have used was to add a third super on top of a healhy swarm of bees.
reply:
I assume the boxes are all deeps here. Correct me if I am wrong.
You continued:
I have taken two frames from the brood box with nurser bees, capped and uncapped brood. I could see that there were uncapped larve in the frames.
Reply:
Question: Were there also eggs and day old young larva? Both frames?
You continued:
Next to that I have placed two frames filled with honey and pollen.
Reply:
Question: This was done with two frames on each side of the brood, not just one side?
You continued:
This top box I seperated with a devider with a square hole covered with gause. This is to let the heat of the bottem hive go through to the top.
Reply:
Question: The gause was reinforced so the bees could not escape and return to the bottom, with say, some sort of screening for example?
you wrote:
A small opening of about 5cm was left at the back of the hive for the bees to move in and out.
reply:
Pencil width is good and no more.
You ended:
After 2 weeks all the nurser bees where gone and most of the splits where filled with ants. What am I doing wrong??
Question: Did you shake additional bees from brood combs into the divides to ensure adequate numbers of bees to do the job, say covering about 4 frames? This means covering the adjoining pollen frames immediately next to the brood with the honey frames being next. Unless the frames comtained ample of each pollen/honey. Additional bees should have been shaken in due to drift back home of any bees on frames used being older then nurse bees which would automatically go back home leaving the new divides.
Also I assume you check to make sure adequate drones in area flying and some fresh nectar and pollen coming into the main hive below.
Recommendation in addition to above comments, don't put the brood from colony below over the parent. Put on another colony if possible. Or in other words switch top nucs between two colonies to scent top nucs differently to trigger wanting to raise queens more.
Sincerely,
Dee A. Lusby

Originally posted by deelusbybeekeeper:
Leon
you wrote:I have a small honey business of about 150 hives of the capensis species (cape honey bee).
reply:
I take it that they are all small black bees then. Correct me if I am wrong.
You continued:
The method I have used was to add a third super on top of a healhy swarm of bees.
reply:
I assume the boxes are all deeps here. Correct me if I am wrong.
You continued:
I have taken two frames from the brood box with nurser bees, capped and uncapped brood. I could see that there were uncapped larve in the frames.
Reply:
Question: Were there also eggs and day old young larva? Both frames?
You continued:
Next to that I have placed two frames filled with honey and pollen.
Reply:
Question: This was done with two frames on each side of the brood, not just one side?
You continued:
This top box I seperated with a devider with a square hole covered with gause. This is to let the heat of the bottem hive go through to the top.
Reply:
Question: The gause was reinforced so the bees could not escape and return to the bottom, with say, some sort of screening for example?
you wrote:
A small opening of about 5cm was left at the back of the hive for the bees to move in and out.
reply:
Pencil width is good and no more.
You ended:
After 2 weeks all the nurser bees where gone and most of the splits where filled with ants. What am I doing wrong??
Question: Did you shake additional bees from brood combs into the divides to ensure adequate numbers of bees to do the job, say covering about 4 frames? This means covering the adjoining pollen frames immediately next to the brood with the honey frames being next. Unless the frames comtained ample of each pollen/honey. Additional bees should have been shaken in due to drift back home of any bees on frames used being older then nurse bees which would automatically go back home leaving the new divides.
Also I assume you check to make sure adequate drones in area flying and some fresh nectar and pollen coming into the main hive below.
Recommendation in addition to above comments, don't put the brood from colony below over the parent. Put on another colony if possible. Or in other words switch top nucs between two colonies to scent top nucs differently to trigger wanting to raise queens more.
Sincerely,
Dee A. Lusby

Dee
Thank you for yor response
reply:
I take it that they are all small black bees then. Correct me if I am wrong.
I am not so sure what you mean by small black bees. The capensis species (cape honey bee)is of average size and is natural to the Western Cape province in South Africa. It is an extremely hard worker but can also be very aggressive at times. The fact that I have 150 hives means beekeeping is a mere hobby to me at this stage and small side line business.I realised there is a potential and therefore I would like to expand.

Your question:
I assume the boxes are all deeps here. Correct me if I am wrong
Reply: Yes I use the deep boxes with the bigger frame as a super.
Your question:
Question: Were there also eggs and day old young larva? Both frames?
Reply: Yes I picked two frames both with eggs, young larve and capped brood. Then I have placed a frame with honey on either side of the brood frames.
Question: The gause was reinforced so the bees could not escape and return to the bottom, with say, some sort of screening for example?
Reply
Yes, I have used a a thick board of about 16 mm thick. I had gause on either side which left a space between the two gauses. So the lower and upper bees could not get in touch with each other.
I did try to put as many nurse bees on the brood frames. The other two frames with honey and pollen I have taken from the top super which I normally harvest. I have done this split in peak flow season so there where more than enough nectar and pollen availible. In some of the splits I have tried to put some worker bees, but they moved back to the bottom.
I will definitely try your suggestion to take brood and nurser bees from another hive. May be I have more luck then.Our high flow season starts now. I am not sure of this method is acceptable to the capensis species.
How long shall I wait before I take the split away?

Thanks
Like to hear from you again!
Leo

Hi Leon,
You wrote:
did try to put as many nurse bees on the brood frames. The other two frames with honey and pollen I have taken from the top super which I normally harvest. I have done this split in peak flow season so there where more than enough nectar and pollen availible. In some of the splits I have tried to put some worker bees, but they moved back to the bottom.
I will definitely try your suggestion to take brood and nurser bees from another hive. May be I have more luck then.Our high flow season starts now. I am not sure of this method is acceptable to the capensis species.
How long shall I wait before I take the split away?
reply:
One more thing you might try to add if you continue to have problems. Put the old queen up the the split and let the main force down below raise the new queen. Then the bees in the split will be more inclined to stay with the old queen.
Also wait about 21 days to look and not two weeks.
ONe more thing. We keep a bee with capebee like traits, if it means anything.
Regards,
Dee A. Lusby