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Swarm management in new package or nuc <br /> By the time swarm cells are present, it can be too late to prevent the colony <br /> Igr from swarming. If swarm cells are present, take note of the oldest cell. A <br /> capped swarm cell likely means the colony already swarmed. Sometimes <br /> Words of beekeepers go frame by frame looking for swarm cells to destroy them with <br /> Wisdom a hive tool. This can be a recipe for disaster, especially for new beekeepers. <br /> YY It is difficult to find all the cells, and the colony may still swarm even if all of <br /> the cells are found and removed. It is best to alleviate the urge to swarm by providing the colony with <br /> room to grow, adding another box and inserting empty combs between brood frames. <br /> If the colony has already swarmed and you remove all the cells, then the colony cannot raise a new <br /> queen. <br /> FEED FEED FEED! <br /> • Provide a continuous supply of sugar syrup for at least one month, especially for a package. <br /> Replenish the pollen patty as it is used. The colony should have at least 2 full frames of syrup or <br /> nectar stored before you stop feeding. <br /> Provide Room for Expansion <br /> • Add a 2nd deep hive body to the colony when 80% of the comb surface in the 1st hive body is drawn <br /> out; i.e., wax cells have been constructed on the surfaces of 8 of the 10 frames (approx. 4-6 weeks <br /> following hiving a package if using foundation, or 3-5 weeks if starting with a nuc). <br /> • When adding a 2nd hive body containing 9 frames of foundation, remove 1 frame with drawn comb <br /> containing nectar, but no brood, from the 1st hive body (leaving 9 frames spaced out equally) and <br /> place the frame in the center of the 2nd hive body to encourage colony expansion. <br /> • Adjust the entrance reducer to the largest opening at this time. Move the cork from the hole in the <br /> bottom hive body to the 2nd hive body. <br /> • Add the 3rd deep box after 80% of the comb surface has been drawn in the 2nd hive body in the <br /> same manner: by moving one drawn comb with nectar into the center of the 3rd box containing 9 <br /> frames of foundation.Adding a 3rd deep box is unique to our system of beekeeping in northern <br /> climates. The bees will fill it with honey that they need to survive our long winters. <br /> • When all frames of foundation have been completely drawn out with wax cells in the final deep box <br /> added, remove one frame and equally space the remaining 9 frames. If the bees are not producing <br /> comb on the edge frames, move a food frame to the outermost edge position in the box and the <br /> undrawn foundation frame in one position to encourage the bees to draw out the comb. In the unusual <br /> case that the colony is moving up and not using the bottom box, do a reversal by switching the top <br /> and bottom box (see "Full Reversal, mid-season" in Figure 35). Unless the weather is reliably warm <br /> and the population of bees is large enough to cover all frames, avoid putting an empty frame between <br /> frames of brood. <br /> • Reversals are simply a system of rotating the position of boxes, while keeping the bees and brood as <br /> they are within the boxes. Reversals ensure the bees have mostly empty combs above the cluster, <br /> • into which they can, and will, expand as temperatures increase and early pollen and nectar become <br /> available. Here's an analogy: the bees are like an elevator that only moves up. Eventually you'll need <br /> to move the lower floors of the building on top, so the elevator will have somewhere to go. <br /> Beekeeping in Northern Climates 41 <br />