splitting a hive - the research

[FordGuy]

this will be heralded as the dumbest newbie question in ages, but...

What is generall accepted as the minimum number of frames of

1. capped brood;
2. eggs/larvae
3. newly emerged nurse bees

required to start a new hive, say, in the middle of nectar flow, when pollen is plentiful?  I realize the correct answer would be a range (from x to y frames of Z)

Any research on the topic someone could direct me to?
thanks

[latebee]

Try the Tennessee Beekeepers Association Page or some of the articles in Georges pink pages,these can be helpful.You can find these by going to theGoogle Search Engine

[Michael Bush]

I set up many two frame medium nucs in a two frame box with one frame of brood and a queen and one frame of honey and shake in one frame of bees off of some brood.  It's not that I'm trying to start a hive, but I'm trying to bank a queen.  But if you let them they will flourish in that size of a box and then you can move them into a three, or four frame box and then a five frame box and then an eight frame box and then a ten frame box.

http://www.bushfarms.com/images/AssortedWidths.JPG