[Irmo]

This is something I've been curious about. Those of you who take swarm removal calls or cut outs; when you go to collect a swarm/colony, do you look for the queen or just capture the bees and hope she's in there?

 

[ArkansasBK]

I alway carry a plastic queen clip when I go. If I see the queen and can get her in the clip and place it in my box, I do so. If you collect the swarm or cut-out, you will know quickly if you have the queen or not. The exception being a cut-out that was queenless when you got there. If a swarm is queenless, they will return to the original hive.

 

[Mr.Beeman]

Depends on the amount of time I have to collect the swarm/cutout. Most often, I will look for her after a few days in the hive.
If it is a big swarm, there may be several queens in there. Then, I take the time to look and cage the queens.
I have seen five queens in one swarm.