Every so often one hears about caging or removing the queen to increase honey production. In my colonies, I have never attempted to confine or restrict the queen at any time, especially not during the honey flow.

> The theory that reduced brood rearing or a queenless condition during a flow lasting 5 weeks will permit the colonies to produce a larger crop is not supported by actual returns. The superior working morale of normal colonies enables them to store more honey. Queenless colonies, or those in which brood rearing is curtailed show a sharp drop in daily honey gains; also, the resulting decline in their populations may further reduce production from later flows or prevent the colonies overwintering properly.

Farrar, C. L. (1968). Productive management of honey-bee colonies (Vol. 2280). University of Wisconsin-Extension.

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