What is a Walkaway Split?

A walkaway split is a method of splitting a honeybee colony into two colonies without using a queen excluder. It is a relatively simple process that can be done by any beekeeper, even beginners.

To perform a walkaway split, start by inspecting the colony that you wish to split. Find the queen bee and make sure that she stays with the original colony.  Then remove about half of the frames from the hive. These frames should contain brood, eggs, and honey.

Transfer the frames to an empty colony. Make sure to place the frames in the same order as they were in the original hive.  After transferring the frames to the new colony, add empty frames to the original colony to replace what was taken.  Put the lid on the original colony and place it in a different location.

The new colony will now be in the location of the original colony.  Now you can introduce a new queen to the new colony.  Over the next few weeks, the bees in the new colony will begin to grow into a separate colony of their own with a new queen.

How to Use a Walkaway Split

A walkaway split can be used to increase the number of colonies in your apiary, to create a new colony from a strong colony, or to split a colony that is too large.  To use a walkaway split, you will need to choose a colony that is strong and healthy. The colony should have a well-performing queen and plenty of brood.  Once you have chosen a colony, you can start the split by following the steps outlined above.

Walkaway splits are a relatively simple way to increase the number of colonies in your apiary. They are also a good way to create a new colony from a strong colony.  They are relatively easy to create and they do not require any special equipment.  With a little care and attention, you can prepare walkaway splits to increase the number of colonies in your apiary and to create strong and healthy colonies.