-----Original Message-----
From: Keeler, Lisa <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Monday, May 10, 1999 12:09 PM
Subject: Swarming Questions

Lisa writes

>> So my question is - what do I do now?  I don't want to loose another
swarm
>> but I also don't want to take the chance of loosing this hive to
>> queenlessness.  Should I simply wait for the new queen to take over or is
>> there a significant chance tha this queenless hive will throw another
>> swarm before it settles down with a new queen.  I work during the day so
I
>> have very little chance of actually finding and capturing another swarm
if
>> it happens.


You can do several things, here are some options:
1. cut out all but two of the largest cells and leave the hive to raise a
new queen.
2. If the hive is two deep brood boxes you can split the hive with a double
screen and make sure you have a cell in each.  When you have mated queens in
both (eggs in both) you can install a queen excluder in place of the double
screen and run a two queen hive or give the top hive body a bottom board and
a cover and move off to the side.
3. Take the frames with cells and put into a nuc with a frame of honey and
an empty frame. Make up as many nucs as you have cells and bees for. As
early as it is in the season you might have several colonies going into
winter but don't expect any honey from these nucs.
good luck
Marc Sudebaker
Geneva, In