Are they starting swarm cells?

[Beewildered]

My 2# package has completely filled the hive (24 bars) and a local beekeeper says we are still in a honey flow. My top bars are 20" across (about 17-18" avail for comb) so I can super it. I ordered a couple of 8 frame supers and frames, figured I would just use starter strips(?), but they haven't arrived yet and may not for several more days. Then I have to get them together. The hive has a window in the side and I go peeking almost every day. Today I saw a couple of downward pointing cups on the edges of the comb. None of the combs of honey are more than 30-40% capped yet. There are some attempts at pictures here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53396337@N00/187604511/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53396337@N00/187604510/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53396337@N00/187604509/in/photostream/

Are they starting swarm cells? If I supper with a cardboard box temporarily and put an empty bar or 2 in the broodnest will this forestall the swarm? Should I just pull bars of honey to put up in the super or one or two of brood? I'd rather not split if I can avoid it since I was hoping to just keep 2 hives for now (the other one is a Lang) and it would take me several days to build another hive. I think I really only have room for 2 now anyway. Any other advice or suggestions welcome, and Thanks!
Kristal

[Michael Bush]

>Are they starting swarm cells?

Sounds like it.

> If I supper with a cardboard box temporarily and put an empty bar or 2 in the broodnest will this forestall the swarm?

I think it's time to harvest some honey. Eight bars or more would be a good amount. Make some cut comb or crush and strain.

[pcooley]

My three pound package has swarmed twice, and it looks like it is going to do so again. I'm letting them raise a new queen, so I'm hoping the population will fall enough while they are raising her, that they won't swarm, but I might super the hive anyway.

I found myself in the situation of having to build two more hives in a hurry. If I were you, I would begin building a new hive to house the swarm now. If it hasn't swarmed before your hive is finished, then make a split.

My original hive was three feet long with 24 top bars. I built my two newest hives four feet to give the bees more room.

I should add that's my advice after only about three months of beekeeping.

[shorts]

wow, I must be learning something, my first thought when I read your post, was to harvest some honey. I thought about taking about eight like Mike said, cut it off and leave what, half an inch and they will rebuild the comb. This bee stuff is cool. Have a good day.. Shorts

[pcooley]

I had/have the same problem Beewildered has -- none of my bars of honey is capped, and my original hive was built almost solid brood. Out of 24 bars, only about five had no brood.

[Haggis]

My 3 hives have all but filled 15 bars each with brood comb before they began designating comb for honey. As it stands right now wach hive has at least 3 bars with honey being stored exclusively, well, that and a bit of pollen. Once they cap the honey, past the first full honey comb, I'll start bringing the capped honey to the house. Hopefully they will not swarm as there are only 6 weeks or so of flower weather left in this year. Goldenrod is the last thing to bloom here and it starts blooming the middle to third week of August.

[Beewildered]

I just spend the morning carefully inspecting the whole hive. The comb with the most capped honey was the first one, about 60% capped honey(CH), 20% pollen(P), 10% nectar(N) and the rest empty. That's the only one I harvested.
The second one was about 45% CH, 20%P, 30%N, rest empty.
The 3rd had P and CH but also a few cells of capped brood (CB).
Bars 4-18 had 30-75% B, CB or eggs. I saw the queen on the 12th bar.
Bar 19 was 20%CH and 5% capped drones, the rest was empty or had eggs, I couldn't really tell.
The rest of the bars have a little more room to be drawn, the last one is only about 1/3 drawn, mostly nectar with just a little capped honey on the top.

Should I harvest the 2nd bar? I think that's the only other one I can possibly harvest (?). Will that take too much of their stored pollen? Any other advice?

Kristal

[Michael Bush]

Maybe you need to build a super?

Or put the most capped ones in a closet with a dehumidifier. I don't have that problem here much. I wouldn't expect humidity (and uncapped honey) to be much of a problem in Loveland. Your average humidity is probably 20% or so isn't it?

[Beewildered]

Our humidity is very low, 20% is about right, so I don't think it has to do with the honey not getting dry. The uncapped nectar must be from the recent honey flow. All the bars had 1-3" of capped honey on the top. How long does it take honey to dry enough to be capped (knowing that the average humidity plays a big role)?

What might make the brood nest spread out so much?

[Michael Bush]

>How long does it take honey to dry enough to be capped (knowing that the average humidity plays a big role)?

That varies too much to predict.

>What might make the brood nest spread out so much?

To make more surface area to dry the nectar. The more spread out it is the more surface area.