>Please comment on how you commercial beekeepers prevent/control swarming.

My method is to equalize brood and make splits early in spring to keep *all*
hives in the yard the same strength.

 After making split time is past I carry special  boxes.( design by Horace
Bell)  The box basis is a deep super. The bottom is screened and use a
special screened top. If in my yard work I see a hive getting crowded I pull
frames of brood (less the queen ) and replace with drawn comb.

At the end of the day I transfer the brood into a hive body. I usually end
up with a whole yard of these. I never look to see if the bees raise a queen
( some eggs are almost always on a few frames) until after the main flow is
over. I super these and those hives make plenty of honey. Over fifty percent
raise a queen. Those which do not become second bodies for those which do
raise a queen.

What percentage of your colonies end up swarming despite your efforts?

This year about one hive per yard after splitting time. Hard to say when we
are making splits. I have a percentage of hives I made five ( 2 frame )
splits from.

> White clover has been blooming, linden/basswood has started, sumacs are
> starting...  Unless the weather changes these flows will be as good as
> lost.

bee patient. A wet spring is good. Once the temps climb your flow will
start. The key is 70F. and higher  temps at night.

> than half I would expect for this time of year.

Every year is different. its really hard to compare (although we try) one
year to another. Our biggest crops comes from a longer honey flow rather
than a bigger flow period. In Missouri we have half a normal crop on now.
About a week ahead of normal. The white Dutch will burn up if we do not get
a rain in the next 10 days ( none predicted) but sweet clover is deep rooted
and even if we do not get rain for three weeks we will get a heavy flow with
the bees flying every day.

My prediction is 2009 will be a bumper honey crop for my area. People are
dying from the heat and the heat is unbearable which is sad but good for 
honey production
due to the *wet* spring.

bob

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