Some colonies are determined to swarm

[B+.]

For the last couple of months, I have been looking after a colony for a lady. I have watched it build up and fill 1 super but, over the last 3-4 weeks, I have had to destroy several queen cells at each weekly inspection. To my frustration, they swarmed this morning having left no cells but brood in all stages.
I had always intended to requeen it with one of my cells towards the end of summer anyway so that isn't a problem. I am posting this in the hope that those of you who do lose swarms will see that some colonies are determined to swarm no matter what you do.

 

[Vortex]

Given it's strung out down a wall, that's still a heft swarm

 

[Goran]

At our place removing qcells is considered useless, at the end they swarm even without any qcells left in the colony.
The worst I have which at beginning of spring start superbly and get to 6 frames of brood fast. But they stop and remain on 6 frames and fill the brood box with qcells. Such queens don't last long at my apiary.
Of course carnies are at our place.

 

[B+.]

At our place removing qcells is considered useless, at the end they swarm even without any qcells left in the colony.

That is exactly the point I was hoping to make Goran. The only solution in the end is to requeen with a non-swarming strain.

 

[Goran]

One beek here bought some swarms from one old man who keep the skeps for that purpose ( swarms). At the end he rear queens from these ( without testing, observation for the qualities - it was first hive nearest to him when started rearing..). Last I heard, he can't keep up with " swarm management" and wondering why he is " swarm loaded" while some has little or no swarms..

 

[Swarm]

but, over the last 3-4 weeks, I have had to destroy several queen cells at each weekly inspection.

What swarm prevention did you use besides? Taking down cells alone is not going to work.

 

[B+.]

What swarm prevention did you use besides? Taking down cells alone is not going to work.

This isn't my first time around the block swarm. I'm sticking to the point and not being drawn into endless nitpicking about one method versus another.
They had plenty of space for the population of the colony which, as you can see, was substantial.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What swarm prevention did you use besides? Taking down cells alone is not going to work.

probably why they swarmed - otherwise nobody would have heard of Pagden, Snelgrove or anyone else of that genre.

 

[Swarm]

This isn't my first time around the block swarm. I'm sticking to the point and not being drawn into endless nitpicking about one method versus another.
They had plenty of space for the population of the colony which, as you can see, was substantial.

Forget I asked then.

 

[Hivemaker.]

What swarm prevention did you use besides? Taking down cells alone is not going to work.

Actually it can and does work well at times, if certain things are observed and queens are clipped.

 

[B+.]

Actually it can and does work well at times, if certain things are observed and queens are clipped.

In this case, I am moving towards a position where my instrumentally inseminated queens(which will be clipped) are used.

 

[alldigging]

This isn't my first time around the block swarm. I'm sticking to the point and not being drawn into endless nitpicking about one method versus another.
They had plenty of space for the population of the colony which, as you can see, was substantial.

Hooper says you can keep taking queen cells down and 25% of hives will give up their swarming impulse.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Actually it can and does work well at times, if certain things are observed and queens are clipped.

Maybe that's the kind of info Swarm was trying to ascertain

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hooper says you can keep taking queen cells down and 25% of hives will give up their swarming impulse.

So 75% won't - another 50% less effective than a Pagden - which is poor enough.

 

[B+.]

Hooper says you can keep taking queen cells down and 25% of hives will give up their swarming impulse.

I use this 4-point marking scheme to identify the best colonies to breed from http://www.coloss.org/beebook/I/queen-rearing/3/3/3

 

[foghornleghorn]

I use this 4-point marking scheme to identify the best colonies to breed from http://www.coloss.org/beebook/I/queen-rearing/3/3/3

Roughly what % of your hives would score 1 or 2?

 

[B+.]

Roughly what % of your hives would score 1 or 2?

The test colonies (which are all sister queens mated to drones from other tested colonies on remote islands or using instrumental insemination) will invariably score 3.5-4
Open mated daughters, which I use for drone production, will usually score 3 although apiary mated queens that are not considered part of the breeding population will not usually be scored

This particular colony didn't have one of my queens in. Clearly it would score 1 since it swarmed

 

[B+.]

Maybe that's the kind of info Swarm was trying to ascertain

Forgive me for being so brusk but, from what I have seen in the past on this forum, such information usually leads to a protracted discussion of the merits/demerits of the system used rather than focusing on the point of the post...which was to focus on the determination of this colony to swarm.

 

[Finman]

.
Bees swarm despite of empty space. It is their most important thing in the earth: Reproduction.

 

[Finman]

Hooper says you can keep taking queen cells down and 25% of hives will give up their swarming impulse.

Hooper is wrong. 100% rear new swarming cells.