How to Perform a Vertical Split on a Large Honeybee Hive

How to Perform a Vertical Split on a Large Honeybee Hive

Grow Your Apiary the Sustainable Way with The Foraging Bee

At The Foraging Bee, we believe that healthy hives and sustainable beekeeping practices go hand-in-hand. One of the best techniques to manage large, booming colonies — without stressing the bees or yourself — is the Vertical Split method. This powerful approach lets you expand your apiary naturally, prevent swarming, and even raise new queens from your best stock. Here's a full breakdown of how you can use a vertical split to grow stronger, more resilient hives — the sustainable way.

🌻 What Is a Vertical Split?

A vertical split is a beekeeping method where you divide a strong hive into two by stacking a new colony above the original hive. Using a divider — like a queen excluder or a double screen board — you create two distinct living spaces while allowing warmth and scent to flow between them.

The result?
Two thriving colonies, a reduced risk of swarming, and a sustainable way to expand your bee yard without buying new bees.

🛠️ What You’ll Need

• Extra deep brood box (or medium if using medium boxes)

• Bottom board (optional, if you want to move the split later)

• Queen excluder or double screen board

• Inner cover and outer cover

• Extra frames with drawn comb and/or foundation

• (Optional) Queen cell or mated queen for faster requeening

🌸 Best Time to Split

The ideal window for a vertical split is early spring, just as the bees begin their rapid population build-up.
Key signs you're ready:

• At least 8–10 frames of bees densely covered.

• Presence of queen cups but before queen cells are capped.

• Mild weather and an upcoming nectar flow.

🐝 Step-by-Step: How to Perform a Vertical Split

1. Inspect the Hive

Find the queen! Take note of where she is located and assess the health of the brood, food stores, and general strength.

2. Prepare the New Box

Set up an empty brood box with a mix of:

• 2–3 frames of open brood (with attached bees)

• 1–2 frames of capped brood

• 1–2 frames of honey and pollen stores

• Additional frames with drawn comb or foundation to fill the box

Pro Tip: If the top box feels "light," shake in extra nurse bees — they are more likely to stay and help raise brood.

3. Install the Divider

Place either a queen excluder or a double screen board over the bottom brood box:

• Queen Excluder: Allows worker bees to travel freely but keeps the queen below.

• Double Screen Board: Completely separates the two colonies while still sharing heat — ideal for raising a new queen upstairs.

If using a double screen, turn the upper entrance 180° opposite the lower one to minimize bee drift.

4. Handle the Queen Situation

• Leave the original queen in the bottom box.

• The top box will:

  • Raise its own queen naturally from eggs, or

  • Receive a queen cell or mated queen if you want faster, controlled results.

Important: Make sure the top box has fresh eggs or very young larvae if letting them raise their own queen.

5. Final Assembly

Stack the new box directly on top, followed by the inner cover and outer cover.
Your hive now looks like this:

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[ Outer Cover ] [ Inner Cover ] [ Top Brood Box (new split) ] [ Queen Excluder or Double Screen Board ] [ Bottom Brood Box (original queen) ] [ Bottom Board ]

🌱 Aftercare and Monitoring

• Check both colonies every 3–5 days.

• Confirm queen cell development or successful queen acceptance upstairs.

• Feed lightly if resources are low, especially the top colony.

• After 3–4 weeks, once the new queen is mated and laying, you can:

  • Move the top box to a new stand as a separate colony.

  • Leave it as-is for a few more weeks depending on your goals.

⚡ Benefits of a Vertical Split

• Reduces swarm pressure naturally

• Promotes local queen genetics

• Expands your apiary without purchasing new bees

• Keeps colonies strong and stable

• Makes efficient use of brood, bees, and resources

✨ Pro Tip from The Foraging Bee

"Always give the queenless portion more nurse bees than you think they need. Young bees are flexible, and a strong team ensures your new queen starts strong!"

🌼 Ready to Take Your Beekeeping to the Next Level?

At The Foraging Bee, we believe every beekeeper can become their own bee supplier — no imports, no stress, just healthy, local hives.

Learn these techniques firsthand by joining our hands-on workshops, mentorship programs, and Edu-🐝 video series!
Let’s Connect, Explore, and Sustain — and help you build the thriving, resilient apiary you've always dreamed of.

👉 Sign up today at www.theforagingbee.ca or follow us on Instagram @foragingbee to stay in the loop!

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