Rodney,
Every one of your queens are "old" queens, meaning they are very likely to
swarm
unless you use all the tricks that help control swarming.  In this new 21st
century, more and more beekeepers are beginning to accept the fact that a 12
months old queen is an OLD queen, not because of diminished egg laying, but
because of her loss
of ability to produce copious amounts of queen pheromone, that "glue" that
binds
40,000-60,000 bees into a SINGLE COHESIVE unit rather than swarming.

It is hard to tell someone else WHEN to requeen unless one has exact
knowledge of nectar flows between March and September.  As you perhaps know,
I despise spring requeening because it interferes with my honey yield, plus
the fact that queens produced for late summer or fall requeening are
generally much better bred and the breeder can get them delivered to you on
an exact date.  I will also admit that fall requeening is definitely more
"work" and more labor intensive than spring requeening and should only be
done by disciplined and knowledgeable beekeepers.

If you have the equipment and you want to requeen in the spring, i. e.
sometime in
March, April, or May, and you don't want to lose any swarms, than it is best
to make
early splits, recombine the colonies after the nectar flows and destroy the
old queens.  Properly done, you will save above 75% of your honey yield.

The MOST IMPORTANT technique of swarm prevention is PREVENTING CONGESTION IN
THE BROOD CHAMBER!  (This has NOTHING to do with super space).  The brood
chamber of a colony should consist of TWO deep bodies, or 3 medium bodies,
and these units should be REVERSED as needed beginning about February 1st and
continued until a strong nectar flow is underway.  This may require 2-3
reversals
if you are using deep bodies, or 3-5 reversals if you are using medium bodies.

Some people in the southern states use only 1 deep and a super for their
Brood Chamber area.  This shortage of brood space encourages swarming; but
that is the way their Daddy and their Granddaddy kept bees and were satisfied
with only getting 25-50 pounds of honey each year and lots of swarms.
Beekeepers today are trying to get 150 pounds/colony or 200, and ARE DOING
IT.  My ten year average figures are 132 pounds/colony, and Maryland is a
very poor honey producing state, averaging only 29 pounds.

If you need more info about Imirie's Almost Foolproof Requeening, or
REVERSING, or
SWARMS, there are old PINK PAGES on these subjects.  Write back to me and
request
any of them and I will forward them to you by Internet.

WHERE are you in VA?  There is a heck of a difference between Richmond and
Roanoke or Winchester.  My home is just 6 miles from Great Falls, VA so I am
familiar with the nectar flows in this Washington, DC area.

Hope I have helped.

George Imirie
Certified EAS Master Beekeeper
Beginning my 70th year of Maryland Beekeeping
Author of George's PINK PAGES