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This is my third season beekeeping and I haven't had too much experience
of swarming until this year.  Following a long winter and a cold spring
all four hives have tried to swarm - fine - I wanted to expand anyway.
But colonies from one queen seem determined to swarm themselves out of
existence.  I would greatly appreciate any advice ......
 
In one apiary where there was a single hive, I made a split in early May
when Queen cells appeared.  (The Queen was from a reputable breeder and
the hives were large with a mix of stores, drawn comb and foundation.)
 
The virgin took a long time to mate and when she eventually did, a
cluster of Queen cells were produced and she departed as soon as the
first one was sealed.  I await the mating of the second Queen - though
curiously two larvae are currently occupying Queen cells and no other
eggs or larvae are visible.
 
In the hive with the original Queen, she swarmed when I wasn't looking
and - surprise surprise - her daughter laid a few eggs and within a week
Queen cells were produced and she duly departed.
 
Both colonies are now low on bees and I await the despatch of new Queens
I have ordered.  But will I be safe in introducing a Queen to these bees?
 Who is leading the swarming impulse here?  The new Queens or the bees?
And if I didn't have new Queens coming, how could I stop these colonies
swarming themselves into oblivion?
 
Thanks for any help.
 
Stephen Fleming
Kingsclere, Hampshire, UK
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