So many swarm cells - what to do?

[shoefly]

Well, now it is the middle of August and my second hive apparently wants to swarm. I opened it up over the weekend. Lo and behold there were no less than a dozen swarm cells already capped on the bottom of the two mediums of the brood area. I carefully cut out half of them to set up and use in the observation hive. The rest I scraped off.

What's the matter though? It is the middle of August already. What party do the girls want to dance on so late in the year? Is it possible that certain locations enhance the drive to swarm? I have them on the south side of the house 2 feet from the brick wall. There also is the vent from the clothes dryer close by. Does the occasional flow of moist and CO2 ladden air affect them? ...or do I have swarm genetics that I should cure with a new queen.

My other hive swarmed twice this year even after two splits. On the positive side though I haven't seen any more mites drop in a few weeks so something is working right.

Any insights greatly appreciated.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

I would guess that they either NEED to replace the queen or they are overcrowded. I'd look to see if they are either pollen or honeybound. They could have alot of room above but a band of either honey or pollen can create a crowding and initiate swarming.

This might be a good time to kill the existing queen and let them do their thing or do a split and recombine later before winter.

[Michael Bush]

I've had them swarm in August in the middle of a drought. Never assume they can't swarm. I'd split them, let them settle down and recombine. I take the old queen and half the bees and make the split. You might also want to thin down the number of queen cells. I always leave at least two. You never know if they are both viable.

[Terri]

If the swarm cells ere capped, are you sure you still HAVE a queen? They might have already left.

Out here in Kansas, sometimes the hives DO swarm in August. Without help, though, the bees do not have enough time before frost to lay in a store of winter feed. Ot so I have been told.