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

Are your nests in 2 deeps under an excluder?  In my area, I find such a nest would quickly fill up with nectar and swarm prep would immediately follow.

>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.

I did not follow you here.  Do you mean 50% raise swarm queens?  How do you keep the bees from hitting the trees or do they?

>>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.

How many colonies do you keep in an average yard.  I understand you mean that 1 swarm per yard manages to escape you somehow.

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

Linden, sumacs, and clover are our last major flows.  Our main flows traditionally end by mid-July.  There is a flow from knotweed, loosestrife, other minor plants in the second half of the summer but it can only be counted on if you are near wetlands.  I happen to be near wetlands and had a nice crop of dark honey.  You you said, with all the wetness, I am hoping that other plants will also secrete nectar that would normally be adversely affected by high summer heat.

>>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.

That kind of weather is hard to imagine in NY right now.  I'd love to send all these clouds your way!  Very few of us have honey left over from last year and I am getting calls daily from people asking if the new crop is available yet.

Colony removals are back on track although colonies from new swarms seem smaller in size (smaller parent colonies in an unfavorable season).  Had one interesting case of a colony from a new swarm with 5 new combs and no eggs.  After hiving, I discovered an apparently virgin queen and bee behavior pointing to laying workers (a few bee balls trying to sufficate other bees and the virgin queen 'throwing' herself at the bee balls).  My guess this colony was an afterswarm and the cold, rainy weather prevented mating flights. 

Waldemar

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