We have just done our artificial swarm and what an experience!!! Last friday we did a hive inspection and found several queen cups, two of which were already sealed and at least one with a larvae visible in it. We also found our Queen looking very slim compared to normal. PANICK!!!!! After a sleepless night and phoning round for advice we did the artificial swarm on Saturday mid-day. A brand new hive filled with undrawn new frames (all we have being newbies) was set alongside the original hive. Three of the original brood frames containing brood, food, pollen, bees and the queen were put in the new hive, ensuring that the frames with the queen cups were left in the queenless old hive. The position of the new hive and old hive was then swapped round. An entrance feeder containing 50:50 ambrosia / water was placed at the door of the new hive to ensure they didnt run short of food (because this hive has nothing in it except the three old brood frames - everything else is undrawn new foundation). But within a few hours our bees in the new hive were robbing the living daylights out of the queenless hive despite having a plentiful supply of food right at their own door. Lots of angry bees about and after a couple of days we decided it wasnt looking good for the queenless colony. So we waited until late evening, closed the queenless colony up and moved it as far away as we could (about 400metres). After 24 hours we opened the door back up but only about 2cms wide to make it easier to defend. And although this hive has plenty stores in it (one full honey super above the brood box), we put a feeder in under the lid with the 50:50 ambrosia water mix for good measure. I think this has done the trick but now we can only wait and see. The anger levels have certainly gone down....its now safe to walk past both hives without a bee suit on!! At the new hive the bees are taking the food from the entrance feeder and plenty of pollen is being taken in too. The queenless hive shows less activity but this is as expected since most of the foraging bees would have gone with the queen. Tonight a bee kicked a dead larvae outside the door of the queenless colony. Could this mean that the first queen has now hatched and started killing off the other queen cells or is this wishful thinking??!! We will have to wait and see. But it will be really nice if we end up with two colonies after this because its scary stuff being a beginner with just one colony......we cant afford to make any mistakes. Any advice welcome!!