Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[AndyC]

Been reading up on various techniques to prevent or at least lessen swarming.

One system reads as workable for me, that is chequerboarding in early spring, but one bit I don't understand.

This is what is written:

Three frames of empty brood comb were substituted for frames of capped honey in both the upper deep and the shallow feed box on an every-other-frame basis above the brood nest in both boxes.

'Three frames of empty comb, doesn't seem to fit with 'every other frame basis'.

Does that mean, three empty frames inserted alternately only above the frames of the actual brood nest?

[mannanin]

Not sure what you are reading from but if you really want to understand about checker boarding, I would suggest you read Walt Wrights original articles from the American Bee Journal and Bee Culture. Poor Walt died earlier this year and he was a man for whom I had a great deal of respect. I am pretty sure Walt referred to nine frame Langstroths in his method. Take nine frames of empty comb and nine frames of honey and alternate them in the two boxes above the brood. Nothing natural about checker boarding though! Remember Walt was based in Ekton, Tennessee, not Horsham, Sussex. Different climate, differing methods.

[AndyC]

Hiya thanks for that.

I did read the article by his associate regarding checkerboarding compared to broad opening.
The timings he suggests using apple blossom time is surprisingly similar to Southern England.
The issue of course is if you put three frames into a 9 or 10 frame box you can't alternate them.
That quote was from here
https://billsrussianbeeblog.wordpress.com/

On the other hand this mentions alternating all the box and Mr Wright was part of the article.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesexperiment.htm

Having read that and some more I think I understand the thinking behind it.

And I see they are talking empty frames (or with short guides) not drawn comb or foundation.
Thanks again.