Of the colonies I made last year from swarm cells all made it through the
winter strong and are filling frames with brood.
Last year I picked this groups collective brain on making increase from swarm
cells and it is one of the best things I have done.
I highly reccomend you make a nuc up whenever you find nice fat swarm cells in
a strong nice tempered colony.
It is about the easiest way to get queens who grow up fat and end up well
mated weather permitting.

Of 30 colonies going into winter 28 are up and ok this spring, one of the
losses was an iffy thing even in the fall. The other failed colony appears to
have cornered itself away from the food and starved.  An additional colony had
the crawly bees you get from T mites but has since recovered after shedding
most of the older bees. I will need a little more dilligence with grease
patties I suppose.
Crocus are in bloom with a bee in every flower.
I am mentoring a beginner and yesterday we went through the hive that we will
make up her Nuc from together.
She will be starting out in all mediums so that she can weigh more than the
box of honey.