TBH Full!!

[mtbe]

Just did an inspection on my two TBHs, each 4 ft long, by 14" wide (sloped sides, so the base is about 9" wide).

These hives are about 3 years old.

The queens are laying like crazy.  About 3/4 or more of the box is full of brood, leaving only about 7 bars in the back for storage.

One of the boxes had a lot of queen cells (is that the proper name for the cells where they are making a new queen?), the other did not.

I do have a 3rd empty box, if there is some management I can do to move them...but without a 3rd queen, not sure.

I am not too concerned with swarming.  I don't want to freak the neighbors, but believe swarming provides some good for all.  This is a hobby, and I'm not concerned with maximum honey production.

Are there any actions I need to take to 'thin the herd' or better manage these hives?  Should I start culling the queen cells?

[Michael Bush]

Split and give both parts some queen cells.  Never cull queen cells.  You'll just end up queenless.  Odds are if they are capped they already swarmed.

[mtbe]

So I can take bars, some with queen cells (not capped), from both hives and combine them into the third?

Would there be an issue with the bees in the new box leaving to find their original queen's scent?  These boxes are right next to each other.

[hardwood]

Either take the queen away from the hive with queen cells along with a couple of bars of brood and some honey/pollen and put them in the 3rd TBH to create a false swarm or leave them on their own.

It sounds as if the one with lots of queen cells is about to swarm if it hasn't already.

I don't agree with just letting them swarm but that is their nature.

Scott

[Tommyt]

Were the tbh is with the Qcells I'd take 60% of the bars including the Queen and put them in the new empty one
I would then move,it as far as you can from the original spot ,after a few weeks you can move it right next door to the original.
Like hardwood said your making a false swarm
Hope it works 
also do something ASAP because when they build a lot of cells they are going
 So you need to try and get them before they go on their own
also if you can build a couple smaller tbh real fast do it and put a little Lemon grass oil
in them and hope to catch the swarm if your other method don't work

Good Luck
Tommyt

[Michael Bush]

Next door works if you shake extra bees in or face them both to the old location and don't leave a hive at the old location.