I think, based on my experience, that drawn comb reduces swarming because it reduces the immediate congestion and competition for cell space. I define congestion as the need for the storage of incoming nectar which competes with a queen who is laying more eggs each day. Further, cell space is tied up for 21 days with developing brood and who knows how long with ripening nectar.
When available cell space become scarce due to a strong influx of nectar and when a nice warm spell gets the queen all excited, the hive is congested. In my mind, congestion is the cause that triggers the swarming impulse.
At least that's how I look at it. Congestion has very little to do with another swarming term, "crowding." Crowd your bees all you want, if there is cell space available and accessible, merely crowding your bees won't make them swarm.
Introducing foundation takes time to draw out, and bees will balk at plastic foundation and more readily accept wax foundation (as has been my experience). In the mean time, while the colony waits for the foundation to be drawn out, more nectar comes in, the queen lays more eggs and the congestion increases raising the likelihood of swarming. I have, however, seen half-drawn wax foundation with fresh eggs. And even if I introduce drawn comb, I like to try and stay ahead of my bees by adding new foundation.
Further, while this is not germane to this topic, I'm becoming more concerned about rotating my old drawn comb out replacing it with fresh foundation.
Grant
Jackson, MO
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