considering the swarm impulse early spring has been sorted and you have fresh new queens coming from the splits or notched frames, also the old queen starts again laying eggs in her starter ,i think if its a worry pinching the old queen later on might be a good option ,a simple option to give that hive a break like the splits for might control giving it a 30 day break till the next queen gets going again just a thought.

Good question as to how many... Do several when you notch... because the bees really want to pick a younger larva. I notch a couple on both sides, and even several frames... especially if I want to make up several splits. Having a cell on multiple frames is helpful. As to when to notch... you will remove the queen and notch right away. When they realize they are queenless, they will find those young eggs and start building cells out from them.

@@allmorgan so do you just notch a bunch and then kill the extras like he said to do seems to be the best option ?

And you are not going to get his numbers, based on the percentage of queens who return

You mean these slides? www.mdasplitter.com/docs/IBA%20Keynote%20part%201.pdf

The Hackleguy this is fantastic. Can I use some of this info for a workshop. I'll gladly credit Mel.

Absolutely! The key is to only notch 1-2 day old eggs. The bees know how old the larva is... they want to make a queen cell out of the youngest. I always notch a couple places on each side of the frames where I want at least one queen cell. Good luck.

Thanx, LP

what i have done is move the hive a few feet and turn it 180 degrees plus put a different color lid on the new hive it is not a sure thing every time.........

try this , i do splits in Mo. when drones start hatching out, you did drones to mate new queens anyway, drones will appear a couple weeks before hives tend to swarm

Hi Kevin, you're right, the hive will make a queen, but only if they have some eggs from which to make one. But say you have a good performing hive and want to propagate them say via 3 splits.You can build up the hive, then remove the queen and notch the cells on three frames with the right aged eggs. You can get the bees to buildcells on those three frames, and once they are capped, you can pull them out and put each into your new nucs. Then divide up the remaining resources of the hive into the three nucs. This is just one example of Mel's handy method.

well, if they didn't have eggs..two day old larvae, you couldn't do this notching method, ether.

That's right. But you can add a frame of eggs in to an otherwise queenless colony. You asked what the difference is between OTS and just a hive rearing a new queen for itself. Mel's OTS method is not really stating a difference but just an understanding that the average beekeeper can rear their own queens with what they have now. No special equipment, no grafting, etc... just an understading that you can choose to propagate your own queens at any time, while preventing swarms via splitting, making nucs to sell, having queens to add to new colonies, brood-breaks to combat mites, etc.

well right....but I can add eggs to a whole host of queenless colonies...and they will create a queen from the one and two day old larvae on their own. ...and in essence....they will be rearing their own queen "with what they have now". without grafting or notching. ....the advantage to grafting is when you make the split, the queen cell is placed and hatches within a day or two...so you save 14 days....thus the queen starts laying quicker. I am just trying to understand the logic.....maybe there is none.

The notching simply encourages the bees to build queen cells where you want them. If you are wanting to split the entire hive into 3 nucs for example, you can have eggs on three different frames. There really isn't much more to it. You are obviously well-versed enough in your options to make your own queens. Mel is trying to make the invisible, visible for all beekeepers, particularly newer ones who think they have to go buy new queens everytime they lose one.

Yes you can... since the bees would have drawn out the comb from that plastic mid-rib. No problem.

thanks! I really want to study up on how mel does this. I bought his book. Would love to take his course at his place.

It's really simple. I made a video myself doing it. If I can find it, I'll link you to it.

natserog - I have been looking all over for Mels book... Do you have a link for his book?

Sorry I missed your comment a long time ago. The book is really good. Calendars and diagrams-a-plenty to help spell it all out. www.mdasplitter.com/buy-book.php