Tom Barrett asks:
" ... is it possible to force the bees to build queen cells, create
artificial swarms and get most of the swarming over with in my timetable
rather than in theirs?"
 
Sure is!  Highly recommended reading (perhaps hard to find) is:
_Swarming;_It's_Control_and_Prevention_ by L.E. Snelgrove
 
A description of Snelgrove's methods can be found in BEE-L archives.  To
get that description, send a single line of mail to:
                     [log in to unmask]
that reads:
                     GETPOST BEE-L 17750
 
Snelgrove's book is offered by Betterbee in Greenwich, NY
(1-800-632-3379).  Tell 'em Aaron sent ya!
 
Aaron Morris - I think, therefore I bee!