Getting your retaliation in first

The swarming season approaches and I never cease to be amazed at the endless discussions/ debates that bee keepers have about swarming.
It is an entirely natural process that happens every year usually between May and July. There is something on my web site about it here.
I think the reason bee keepers are obsessed with it is that an unplanned/controlled swarm can reduce the honey yield.
As I have no interest in honey I'm not too bothered.

There are two types of approach to managing swarming - proactive and reactive.

Proactive, or getting your retaliation in first as I call it, is doing things before the swarming process starts.
Reactive is what you do when the swarming process has started and you try and control it.
Most years I hope to do the former but finish up doing the latter

Probably the main trigger for swarming is a lack of space so the simplest proactive thing to do is to give them more space and the easiest way of doing this is to add a super to the hive. Supers are where the bees produce 'our' honey and filling this up with hopefully reduce their swarming instinct.
The weather has been a bit odd lately but I thought I would have a quick look at the hives to see what is going on before it became cold again.

Click the button to see the video.

Apologies for shaky camera, although I always have my camera with me, I didn't intend videoing anything so didn't have my tripod with me.