Swarmed!

[jaseemtp]

ell my best hive has swarmed on me, despite my best efforts.  I did feed them all winder like a pig going to slaughter so they would build up.  4 days ago I checked on them and there was an open queen cell, so I pulled the current queen and 5 frames of bees / brood in hopes that would stop the swarming.  I guessed wrong, went out today and there was a soccerball size swarm hanging from one of the trees.  I check the split I made and it was looking good, but the parent hive did not have the activity it had the day before.  Is there something I could have done differently once I found the swarm cells? other than move the old queen sooner?

[Michael Bush]

You did what I would have done.  Sometimes they are just determined to swarm.  The time to catch it is before they start queen cells.  Keep the brood nest open and keep them from starting down that road.