> Yes it works, at least with my hive under test. Doesn't every brutal
> disturbance reduce swarming?
 
My thoughts exactly.  There are lots of ways to reduce swarming.  Soapy
water would do it.  But do we want to make some honey?  Or are we just
looking for work? The way the pros do it-- for the most part -- is simple:
 
Don't get swarming started:
 
*  Give the bees adequate room and sufficient air in advance of need.
*  Keep young queens in the hives
*  Give lots of supers (including some foundation) well before the flow
*  Remove honey before the hives get plugged
 
If swarming appears to be started:
 
*  Split the hive in half and super each half (make sure there are
   good cells in each half)
*  Padgen the hive (Ie. switch it with a weaker one that looks
   about the same and/or face it backwards if it is in a line of hives.
   BTW, padgening will not work if the bees are not flying freely and
   they may not be if they are swarmy.
 
That's about it.
 
Remember that bees will swarm no matter what you do, other than weaken
them beyond usefulness.  All we can do is reduce swarming, not eliminate
it.  It is completely natural.
 
An occasional swarm is not the sign of poor beekeeping.  No swarming is.
 
Allen
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