REGARDING           RE>Cutting swarm cells
 
 Dave Green writes:
"Many hobby beekeepers spend a lot of spring time going through hives and
cutting swarm cells.  I think it's an enormous waste.........Our general
practice, when we find swarm cells, is to break up the colony.  You can make
up two to four nucs with cells in each, and not bother to look
for the old queen. Remember, she is a goner, anyway.  The bees, now satisied
with their reproductive urges, will go on and build into good colonies with
young queens."
 
This is good advice.  In past years I have spent much time trying to cut out
swarm cells, only to have the hive swarm eventually anyway.  Because the hives
in preparation for swarming are usually good strong ones, these would be the
best to choose for splits anyway.  I'm giving this practice a try this year.
 
Ted Fischer