>>>        So.. subject to timing ie. how old the open brood or eggs are helps
>>>to determine if and when that hive will swarm.
>>>        If you don't find eggs, then you're probably too late. In that case,
>>>make a false swarm and split, unless of course you want to give your bees to
>>>a neighbour!!
>
>        Is it the presence of the eggs or the fact that the queen is still
>laying? If it is the egss then as a stop gap measure could you place a
>frame from another hive with eggs in order to delay things a bit?
>
Just goes to show!! That the bees don't read the same books as us. Someone
said that he has seen a hive swarm leaving open brood, but I don't think
that's the norm!!
        I think the presence of eggs means the queen would be too big to
fly, as one thing they do is too slim the queen down, before they leave.
    ****************************************************
   * David Eyre          9 Progress Drive, Unit 2,  *
   * The Beeworks,    Orillia, Ontario, L3V 6H1. *
   * [log in to unmask]      705-326-7171 *
   * http://www.muskoka.net/~beeworks           *
   *  Agents for: E H Thorne &  B J Sherriff UK. *
   ****************************************************