Old man's prediction

[Wally]

After a week or two of warm weather, then turning wet and cold for the next 3 or 4 days, I would think queen cells are emerging when the old queen cannot fly. Look for a rush of swarm calls between Sunday and Wednesday.

Nothing to base it on, just a wild prediction.

[Kurt Bower]

I certainly think the time is ripe for swarms. It has been too quiet for too long.
I am splitting to prevent swarming and would have had 2 by now if I hadnt.

Kurt

[Ron Young]

I hope making the split out of my one hive will prevent a swarm? I also hope that the split having a newly hatched out queen is not in trouble with this onset of bad weather. I hope she had time to make her mating flight.

[Kurt Bower]

Making a split will not garauntee a swarm but should help to prevent it. It always aggravates me when a hive wants to swarm right in the middle of a honey flow.
As for the queen and mating, she usually doesnt make her mating flight for about 5 days after she emerges from her queen cell.
I would think the weather this year is quite favorable to her mating needs.

Kurt

[Ron Young]

I hope it will prevent it. For with out a doubt, I will get the call when I am at work at the fire station, and my wife will be frantic in telling me that the bees are settled on my little girls play ground or on the back deck, or maybe even on the fence. Murphy's law and everything, It is almost certain that I will not be here.