>>> 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. * ****************************************************