So I've found swarm cells in three of my hives over the past couple of days. I use a deep and a medium box for brood. No queen excluder. They've all had plenty of space -
One was bursting with bees, tons of bees in the hole in the inner cover. However, in each box, there was approx 15-20% empty foundation that they hadn't drawn out yet. Split this hive, which is split number five off of the original.
Next hive had a super which they weren't really messing with. All of the cells were on one frame in the deep. I took that frame and loaded it into a laying worker hive that's on week two of the "frame a week for three weeks" solution. Next, I took two medium frames of brood and made a "brood ladder". One frame went in the super, and I added another super and put the next brood frame in it.
The third hive is busting with bees as well. I let them draw out a super of honey, then added a super, brought up 4 drawn frames from below, and checkerboarded in foundationless frames. In other words - HHHHHHHH to
EHEHEHEH
EHEHEHEH
I did this so they would be drawing out foundationless in between frames of drawn comb. They're doing a fine job, but again, they have a swarm cell. Flipped the inner cover to give them a top entrance.
So what am I doing wrong? I like making splits, but I've run out of equipment (goal this year was 7 hives total, I'm up to 12), and I'd like to get some honey. The last hive I mentioned is my big boomer, and I really don't want it to swarm. I don't do a lot of full inspections. I just keep an very close eye on the top box (check it at least twice a week) and add a super when it's 80% drawn.
What's my solution for the last hive I mentioned? Split? Thanks in advance......