Stop Swarming

I need to concentrate on keeping the bees in the hive this year. I had too many swarms issued form my two hives last year. It was fun catching the swarms but I think due to the lack of bees the honey never got capped enough to remove and extract.

Current plans to reduce swarming include:
Try to keep the brood nest open by moving a frame or two of brood up to the next box if the queen doesn’t move up on her own and they start getting crowded.

Checking for swarm cells by tipping the boxes up (kurts post below)

Maybe checker boarding – alternate drawn comb and foundation above the brood nest.

Post NO SWARMING signs in bee script.


If anybody has any other suggestions they would be appreciated.



Kurts post from May 2008
The only real way to tell if they are going to swarm is to look for swarm cells. Since these appear on the bottom of the frames it takes no more than a minute to tip the boxes back and take a quick peak.
Queen cups are acceptable but if you have an egg in one, it is inevitable that you will have a swarm in the next 10 or so days.
I try not to cut cells unless I am in the middle of the honey flow.
If I note a swarm cell prior to the flow I make a split in such a way as to insure no swarming (95% of the time)