Bill Mares wrote:
>
>   In one of Richard Taylor's books, he recommends crowding bees down
> into one brood chamber just before the honey flow, in order to get
> the maximum comb honey production.
>        I've always kept two brood chambers for fear of swarming.
>        Have any of you used his method?  Any cautions?   Thanks,
> bill mares c.v.u. high school,
> Hinesburg, Vt.
 
I do this every year in the first week in August to maximise the Heather
crop.  I usually arrange the combs so that the outside combs are full of
stores and the rest full of brood (as young as possible) with the oldest
brood in the centre.  The Heather flow is late in the season and
swarming is usually finished but you can sometimes get late swarms going
off.  I try to ensure that all the hives are headed by a young queen who
will hopefully continue to lay into October and is less likely to swarm.
I would not advise it earlier in the year.
 
Harry
Scotland