# Almost Full Hive



## jk3campbell (Feb 11, 2015)

Split them up and get 2 hives that are half full.


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## treeWinder (May 3, 2013)

Check for queen cells as your probably near swarming. (surprised they have not already as they usually swarm when about 3/4+ plus full) Split now if you can.


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## bjamesvw (Apr 17, 2014)

So I'm going to have to split every year? It's only the beginning of June and it's already full. Splitting is my only option?


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## BobRagsdale (Nov 23, 2014)

bjamesvw said:


> Splitting is my only option?


No, you have lots of options. The bee's genetics will drive them to swarm and propagate so you might as well take advantage of it rather than fight it. You can:

split them and sell one hive if you don't want it.
split them, then recombine them in the fall.
let them swarm and raise a new queen on their own.
cage the queen for a couple of weeks which will keep them from swarming while the queen is caged and will give them a brood break which will gradually reduce their numbers and may keep them from ultimately swarming.
All of the above are fine options depending on your goals. Also, a brood break at the end of the nectar flow can be good for the hive as it also breaks the mite's breeding cycle. If you are trying to control mites naturally (or otherwise) a brood break is an excellent tool.


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## gezellig (Jun 11, 2014)

So a queen would actually survive caged in a hive a couple of weeks? 
I have never heard of this method but it doesn't sound like a bad idea for a brood break. I figured the bees would see her as inferior and replace her if she wasn't laying.


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## BobRagsdale (Nov 23, 2014)

Yes. As long as other bees have access to her through the screen to take care of her, she will be fine. This is the same as when she is shipped in a package or kept in a queen bank. If you are doing if for Varroa control, three to four weeks is optimal. This thread has some good info on how to break the brood cycle for mite control, including caging the queen.


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## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

here is a homemade cage I made for my topbar hive queens. The top half is for the roller cages when making queen cells. the bottom screened portion is for caging a queen in her hive or introducing a new queen to a hive. (Be sure to put some workers inside the cage with her).


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## Jon Wolff (Apr 28, 2013)

Good advice, but I want to add that I have one hive that in five years has not made a queen cup even when, like last year, they filled the hive from end to end. It was packed, but I didn't have a hive ready, and the honey wasn't capped yet. As I inspected each comb, I fully expected to find swarm cells, but there wasn't even one. Of course, that's genetics more than anything, and you can't count on that. Just keep the brood nest open until you can decide on something, or the bees may decide for you.


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