Thanks to everyone on this forum, I caught my first swarm!
This is my second year of keeping and I'm proud of all my mistakes because I have learned from each one. I kinda went about it the wrong way the first year. I just raised the bees and let them do what they wanted to do. If they swarmed they swarmed, at least I was helping nature by helping make more bees. I got 2.5 cups of honey from two hives but that was ok. Honey wasn't the goal. Well I just learned that the best way to help nature is to help bees make it through the winter and control swarming.
So, with my new hive (I built myself and it looks like a beat up abandoned home I don't blame any bee for leaving!...) I am looking for suggestions to keep these bees from leaving. I have several books and have done several searches but it's nice to have suggestions all in one place in one thread.
I have heard that a swarm that swarms tends to swarm again. Is that true? Bees need room or they feel like they should swarm. Sometimes a queen excluder will make them swarm. (have them, never used them) It's ok to destroy queen cells to keep them from swarming? (I have seen several but just let them be)
Also, just curious, is it the queen that decides it's time to swarm or does she listen to her advisers from the field? I've always wanted to know that! Thanks for all the suggestions. I try them all with this new hobby that's supposed to be less stressful than the day job. Ducking bullets, ducking bees..same thing! *Wink!*
Thanks,
Art