On Fri, 17 May 1996, David Eyre wrote: > >>> 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. Hi David,Your completley right about the slim part , before the old queen leaves with the swarm.Think about queen weight and egg production in one day. I have read that a queen will lay her own weight in eggs in one day.It looks possible sometimes in the spring and early summer.If she would turn off the switch for egg laying , it should not take long to drop in weight. I have seen larva in a hive that just swarmed and did not think to much about it at the time.Some races swarm at a drop of a hat. The old carni's were known for there swarming in the spring. I use to count on splitting them in the spring. I had one hive in 1980 that was in 5 deep brood boxs. It was mean and I split it into 5 parts to find the queen. You would lift the lid on that hive and the lights would go out. The veil would be covered in a second. She was a egg layer. Best Regards Roy