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From:
Michael Palmer <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 30 Jan 2006 08:14:32 -0500
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>  the reversal of hive bodies, and
>swarm prevention in general?


Remember that all beekeeping is local. What works here in the north, might 
not be of use in warmer climates.

Does reversing brood chambers work to control swarming? Sometimes yes, 
sometimes no. I guess it depends on why the bees want to swarm. I feel that 
there are two main reasons for swarming.

First, bees swarm because they are crowded or undersupered. Think about 
what happens when brood hatches. The bees clean and polish the recently 
vacated brood cells, and the queen re-lays in those cells. The young 
recently hatched bees become nurse bees, and tend the larvae in that area, 
until the larvae are capped. The process repeats itself. Then, incoming 
nectar enters the equation. If there is room above or to the side of the 
brood combs for nectar storage, then things continue as before. But, if 
there is no room for nectar storage, the sequence of events changes. When 
the bees hatch, nectar is placed in these cells. The queen can no longer 
lay in these brood cells. This, I believe, is one trigger for 
swarming...incoming nectar being placed in the broodnest where brood has 
hatched, and limiting where the queen can lay.

Now, about reversing. In the north, most colonies are wintered in multiple 
stories. The colonies begin their buildup, and at some point nectar floods 
in from a flow like Dandelion. At this point, most colonies don't have any 
supers on. With nowhere to put the incoming nectar...except for the 
broodnest...swarm preparations take place. Often with these multiple 
storied colonies, the bottom box has much empty comb space. Reversing the 
chambers at this point relieves that pressure. The brood is now in the 
bottom of the hive, and there is empty comb space at the top, where the 
bees can place incoming nectar. Placing supers on the hive will have the 
same effect, for awhile. But, at some point in this process of broodnest 
expansion and incoming nectar, the sequence of events in the top of the 
broodnest is again compromised, and swarming preparations begin. It is at 
this point that I find reversing most helpful. It seems to get most 
colonies over the hump.

I used to reverse at the end of April, and early May...well before the 
Dandelion flow. No supers were given at this time. The cluster moved up 
onto the empty comb space, the queen layed in those combs, and filled the 
combs with brood. Then, in came the Dandelion. The colony was in the same 
condition as an un-reversed colony. Swarm preparations began. I now give a 
couple supers in early May, and reverse ON the Dandelion flow. Early 
supering catches the early nectar flows (my bees were filling supers before 
Dandelion this past spring...Salix bebbiana??) Reversing on the Dandelion 
flow takes care of the problem...usually. Some colonies will start cells at 
this point. Contrary to popular belief, cutting these cells at reversing 
time will stop swarming in the vast number of cases. Even very strong 
colonies at this point give up on swarm preparations, and go to work in the 
supers.

And the second reason for swarming? Swarming is a requeening process. We've 
all had colonies that will continue swarming preparations, no matter what 
we do. Reverse, super, split, Demaree, Snelgrove Board...whatever. These 
colonies requeen themselves by swarming, while others use supercedure. 
Requeen these colonies that don't respond to reversing. Keep an extra super 
on your colonies from this point until the end of the honey flows, and 
swarming will be greatly reduced.

Hope this helps
Mike  


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