You'll get a lot of differing feedback on this, since we're all in wildly differing climates.
My own limited experience is that there will still be swarms after the 'normal' Spring swarm season. They'll need extra feeding and attention if no forage is available (I had to feed like crazy and donate some brood and eggs to build up a late June swarm...they didn't make it through winter). So, this year I've decided to work backward from the date at which the Fall flow in my area typically ends. In my case, I figure October 15 minus 70 days (about three brood cycles) to get a time in mid July for removing traps. This assumes everything goes well (ha!), and also assumes that I'll be feeding syrup and patties to any swarm caught after the Spring flow is over (now) and up to and maybe beyond the Fall flow. The backup plan is a combine with another hive, to avoid weakening stronger colonies in favor of another that might not overwinter.
I guess that I'm saying my approach is to think about available resources and feasibility. My thinking is likely flawed in some way. I'll probably leave my traps up until early August. The closer to that date I get, the more likely it is that I'll just do a combine if something comes my way.
My own limited experience is that there will still be swarms after the 'normal' Spring swarm season. They'll need extra feeding and attention if no forage is available (I had to feed like crazy and donate some brood and eggs to build up a late June swarm...they didn't make it through winter). So, this year I've decided to work backward from the date at which the Fall flow in my area typically ends. In my case, I figure October 15 minus 70 days (about three brood cycles) to get a time in mid July for removing traps. This assumes everything goes well (ha!), and also assumes that I'll be feeding syrup and patties to any swarm caught after the Spring flow is over (now) and up to and maybe beyond the Fall flow. The backup plan is a combine with another hive, to avoid weakening stronger colonies in favor of another that might not overwinter.
I guess that I'm saying my approach is to think about available resources and feasibility. My thinking is likely flawed in some way. I'll probably leave my traps up until early August. The closer to that date I get, the more likely it is that I'll just do a combine if something comes my way.
