Spring in Texas is a waiting game—and a battle plan. If you're looking to expand your apiary without triggering a swarm, now is the time to assess your hives and plan your splits carefully. This week, I filmed a Demaree split, a great method to manage strong colonies and delay swarming while keeping production up.
Hold, Hold, Hold… Then Attack!
If you've seen Braveheart, you know the scene—Mel Gibson as William Wallace, holding his troops steady until just the right moment to charge. That’s exactly what we need to do with our bees right now.
With the lack of rain, nectar flow is a little delayed, which actually works in our favor. We can hold, hold, hold—watching our hives, making sure they don’t get ahead of themselves. Then, when mated queens become available, we attack—splitting our colonies and taking advantage of the short but intense Texas nectar flow.
Join Us This Saturday: Assessing Hives for Splits
At this week’s shop talk, we’re diving into how to assess your hives for splits. Whether you’re thinking about a Demaree split, a walkaway split, or something else, we’ll discuss the best strategies to maximize your colonies while preventing swarming.
🔥 When: Saturday, 9 AM
🐝 Where: Charlie Bee Company at 694 Smith Falor Rd in Seguin, TX
💡 What to Bring: Questions, coffee, and your best Braveheart battle cry
If you want to see the Demaree split in action, check out the latest video below.
See y’all on Saturday! Hold… hold… hold… then attack!