Hiya mate, I’m finally seeing some action here also after a month or so. Foundationless comb in the hybrids are also being built out fast, I’ll be extracting this weekend to make room.
So far each season of beekeeping here has been markedly different and this is shaping up to be the best.
@fffffred, not here mate unfortunately I’m time poor nowadays. How’d it go?
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So far this year has actually been worse for me 
Out of curiosity Snowy, did you do any swarm prevention this spring?
Didn’t go. I’m time poor too…
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Only what I do every year - cycling frames through my hybrid to artificially create more space.
One of my comments a few months ago indicate I think my hive swarmed. However, I’ve not seen any evidence of Queen cells so I’m still highly doubtful my hive did actually swarm.
Swarming aside, I did have that issue with a busted plastic QX… I’d forgotten about that. That’s probably why this season has been bad for me I guess.
(In saying it’s bad it is of course relative. I’ve still harvested about 15kg thus far, so it’s not like it has been disastrous)
How exactly does this technique work to artificially create more space?
A hybrid super has 3 flow frames and 4 standard frames. I cycle brood frames into the super and replace them in the brood box either with new frames or I cycle a brood frame back from the super.
This of course means I have a frame or three of honey I need to store, crush and strain, find a way to spin, or turn into cut comb.
It’s the cycling of frames that creates space. I guess my use of the word ‘artificial’ is a bit misleading…
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Hiya mate, I like Matt’s approach, similar to what Snowy does.
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Matt doesn’t fully understand what happens during spring. The bees don’t backfill the brood during springtime, thus reducing it. They open the brood up by raising the honey arc, which gives the queen more cells to lay eggs in.
Interesting @skeggley, have you tried it yourself? I was thinking the same as @JeffH said in some other thread, and the bees will swarm regardless if they have to, even if they have more space, so a more drastic measure has to be used, like a split.
I haven’t been keeping bees long enough to have much experience on this, just what I read mostly.
I came across this method of creating more space, on this forum on some other threads, and wondering whether this is a foolproof and effective method to prevent swarms as splits.
Previous seasons I have done similar as preemptive swarm control in spring time. As you know I have different sized boxes so can’t follow the method. I removed the outer frames of honey and add foundation between the outer edges of the brood nest. I have also made nucs by halving the brood box, as preemptive swarm control. In my short time keeping bees I have only had 1 swarm, in my first year, in spring, that I know of and that was unavoidable as it happened after a long rain period on the first sunny day while I was at work. My original plan was to have 6 colony’s however I have come to the realisation that this was too many for me to manage in my current situation so I’ve found opening up the brood nest has worked well for me.
I think it’s pertinent to understand that although spring is the recognised swarm season this is entirely reliant on nectar availability, weather and colony strength and none of this is a given at any time of the year, hence Matt not using the word ‘Spring’ when describing swarm season. I would be surprised if a colony swarms during a dearth.
In my opinion and with what I have seen and experienced now is a more likely time for a colony to divide as there is a strong nectar flow with long warm days, watch for the drones.
Once bees start preparing to swarm and begin queen cells preemptive no longer applies 
and prevention takes over.
This season I did nothing except the odd inspection and am currently having my best season honey wise. I’d like to have a look into the brood box now but without the use of smoke I choose not to. If I see too many drones entering a hive I will inspect smokeless albeit reluctantly.
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Totally agree. I did find some drones and am actually on the look out for swarming. My hives just exploded in numbers in a matter of weeks after the dearth I had.
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A strong nectar flow is not enough to encourage swarming. It has to be coupled with a pollen flow.
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At the moment I’m observing both a strong nectar and a pollen flow around here.
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Was in Kalamunda today and noticed the many marris in blossom. The hives must be humming.
Certainly buzzing in Bridgetown! I have a full depth super on top of the flowhive. So far, over 50kgs of honey compared to almost nothing last year.
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I’m also seeing a marked improvement here, finally.
Hi Alan, not sure if you received my pm ?
I would like to catch up with you, if possible, I will be away till 24/2
Contact on 0418910793
Cheers, George
Some of early January’s spoils finally packaged.
Nearly ready to go again, this super last harvested late December but then had a quiet January.
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Well done Skegs (well not you, but your bees of course 
)
Did they just produce the light and dark honey evenly split left to right? I often find dark and light honey within the same frame.