In a message dated 3/11/05 6:43:05 AM, [log in to unmask] writes:

<< has anyone started to see signs of swarming.
a few of my hives are building up very quickly and i am wondering if it is
more the season or the variety. it would be interesting to map where the
list members are seeing swarms.
thank you >>

WHAT IS YOUR LOCATION?

I am in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC and have kept bees here for 73
years.  I can never remember a swarm in MARCH.  I often think about a VERY
LARGE
(6 pound swarm) that I had on April 5th about 1986.  EMBARRASSED ME!

A skilled beekeeper does have too many swarms - best that study more about the
reasons for swarms rather than ask about other people's swarms.

How old is your queen?  If she is NOT marked, then you probably have no idea
of her age.  A 13 month old queen is 2 times more likely to swarm than a 1
month old
queen, and a 24 month old queen is going to swarm almost in spite of anything
you might do.  READ ALL THE RESEARCH FINDINGS ABOUT THIS; or ask why commer
cial
honey producers requeen every year and some twice/year.  Have you REVERSED
your BROOD chambers so the queen can always go UP to lay (she won't go DOWN in
chilly weather).  Is your queen a CARNIOLAN (Which I prefer over Italians),
which has a
HIGH PROPENSITY to swarm due to its EXPLOSIVE spring build-up?

At the risk of being downright RUDE, I suggest that you devote some time to
LEARNING about BEE BEHAVIOR, bee RACES, SWARMING causes, and you will NOT
get that info on the Internet.  READ the writings of BEE SCIENTISTS and BEE
RESEARCHERS; plus Chapter 8, by Dr. Norm Gary, in the 1992 EXTENSIVELY REVISED
edition of The Hive and Honey Bee.  It's only $36.

I hope I have helped.

George Imirie
Certified Master Beekeeper

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