To those who have replied so far to my question regarding supercedure and
swarming, thank you.
 
I want to point out one item.  I received a few posts that indicated that
supercedure and swarming are not the same event.  Yes, I do realize
that.  The reason I tagged my post as "Supercedure and swarming" is that
in one of my beekeeping reference books, it states that supercedure often
leads to swarming.
 
Having viewed my queen and noted that she appears to be failing, i.e. not
laying adeqately, appearing emaciated, it would make sense that the bees
would supercede here.
 
What isn't exactly clear to me is that if a colony supercedes their queen
and the supercedure does lead to swarming (according to the reference),
why would they want to take the old failing queen with them?  No other
choice?  Allow her to lay eggs in the new colony location and supercede
her again?
 
I do realize that if the bees don't take any queen with them,
the colony will die in time.  But, if the queen can't fly from the original
hive, if she crawls out of the hive, is it possible that the swarm will
get as far as the front of the hive and stay there?
 
Laura Downey
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