They had room. They had lots of brood, so the queen had places to lay. You had ventilation. Why do they swarm in what appears to be a great environment?
That is not true Beth. It is small colony and it can
keep warm only certain space.
* When colony is established bees occupy a certain room.
I* t takes 3 weeks untill new bees emerge. During that time half of bees have died and colony cannot use any more space.
* After that when new bees have emerged, colony can grow.
* a frame full of brood gives 3 frames bees. If you have 4 frames brood, you will get a whole box bees. And after that they are emerging all the time.
Same thing happens if you put swarm in the box. If queen is virgin, bees can fill the box during one week and queen have no space for eggs.
One year I gived to swarm 3 empty box and I put it on rape field. When I went to look it next weekend, there was one box brood, and the rest capped honey and colony was swarmed. It got 100 lbs honey during one week.
It happens all the time if you are not aware. But how beginner can know or understand?
Small colony is not able to handle honey, pollen, brood and eggs. It will be full and so they swarm. That is their natural course.