>Each summer many of our new package colonies swarm about the
>first of July (unless appropriate measures taken).
 
        I have a question. Do you use deeps or mediums supers as
brood chamber? I read in the "Art of Beekeeping" that the practice
of double deep can cause crowding as the upper deep gets honey
bound, creating a swarmy environment.
 
        The idea is to us a single deep with mediums above and add
the medium above the deep. This strategy was I think west coast
area where the weathet may be different. I'm a beginner and can
not speak from experience. Maybe some out there can.
 
         ______           _______
        |      |         |       |
        |      |         |_______|/______ excluder here or
        |      |         |       |\       down one?
        |______|         |_______|
        |      |    vs   |       |
        |      |         |       |
        |      |         |       |
        |______|         |_______|
 
 
        I'm not sure if using this approach one places the queen
excluder above the first medium or second. I assume the first
medium and new supper are added above the excluder.