Queen cell management

[Bush_84]

So I performed a cut down split on my tbh one week ago as they had built out a ton of queen cups. They must have all been empty as I found capped queen cells on three new brood combs. Each had quite a few. So my question is what do I do with all of these queen cells? Do I just leave them alone and risk a swarm? Do I cut out all but the biggest? I am not sure I want to split this hive any further than I already have as I would like to get some honey from this hive this year. Along the same lines, I don't want them do swarm.

If the answer is remove all but one cell, how do I choose the proper cell? Any experience with this? Is it just the largest cell, the cell at the center of the nest, or some other factor?

[Steven Ogborn]

I'd like to hear what people say. Sounds like what my hives were doing a couple of months ago.

[Michael Bush]

I try to make enough splits that each comb with some queen cells is in it's own nuc. I suppose if you don't want that many, you could destroy some of the extras, but I never do. I don't think they will be the cause of swarming. If they think they need to they will do after swarms. If they don't think they need to they will let the first virgin destroy them all.

[Bush_84]

So what is the minimum I can put in this nuc to set them up? Two of the three frames of queen cells, one emerging brood, a couple shakes of bees, and a comb of honey? Because again I would like to still get honey from this tbh this year. Last year after they swarmed, I had to feed to get them to get enough stores for the winter.

I am out of full sized tbhs, but have a few nucs laying around. If I happen to winter all of them, then what? Has anybody transferred a tbh to a Lang or warre?

[Beregondo]

I haven't. but the prospect of doing so is my motivation to make my next tbh w/19" bars.
(Current one is a converted hope chest)

[Michael Bush]

I make a lot of nucs for the purpose of getting queens that are one brood and one honey and a extra shake of bees. That's not idea for building up quickly but does well enough for getting a queen mated and building up slowly.

[Bush_84]

I think I may just do that. That way I will have a few extra queens sitting around. Maybe they will make it through the winter....then I would have an interesting problem.

It may actually be a good management strategy. Try to keep two full sized tbhs. If one decides to swarm, split the heck out of it and fill the three nucs that I have. Hopefully enough of the nucs make it through to replace winter losses.