Planning next year - Checkerboarding

[Bumble]

*This* is what I mean by checkerboarding, nicely crystallised :-

http://www.honeybeesuite.com/how-to-...rboard-a-hive/
&
http://www.honeybeesuite.com/checker...of-beekeeping/

The principal things are that there is no invasion of the brood nest, and that the reconfiguration of the nectar dome above the brood is claimed to deter or defer swarming.

Having kicked off this thread a while back, this discussion now seems to be about something very different to what I understood Walt Wright's technique to be which is essentially disrupting the nectar ceiling of the colony in order to manipulate the urge to swarm - not this brood spreading thing.
I've tried discussing this locally as well, calling it "nectar management" rather than "checkerboarding"and immediately the discussion turns to "brood spreading". I don't understand why!

From http://www.honeybeesuite.com/checker...of-beekeeping/

"Many misconceptions surround checkerboarding. The most common one is that it interferes with the brood nest. It does not. Checkerboarding is performed in the honey storage areas above the brood nest, not in the brood rearing areas, so it is an excellent and non-invasive swarm management technique".

I've used this since I started beekeeping so I can't say whether the alternative, not checkerboarding, works as well or not. I think the bees like it because they never have that solid honey arc above their heads and they always have somewhere close to the brood nest to put their stores. They do, though, seem to prefer to use the more central frames than the outer ones.

I don't know if, as honeybeesuite suggests, it reduces swarming impulse or not.

I don't meddle with the brood nest by spreading the brood because, although I did try it once, I found it set that colony back when compared with others.

[Castor]

I've used this since I started beekeeping

It sounds to me like you've always been "nectar managing"..... or chequerboarding .....

I wish we could talk to the little devils.....

[Bumble]

I wish we could talk to the little devils.....

I do, but they don't answer!

[mbc]

I do, but they don't answer!

Same here, I also sing to mine sometimes, apparently they cannot hear us, but if talking or singing keeps you calm then you're less likely to provoke them to stinging you so it's still a good thing.

[Castor]

I shout at mine.
It's probably just as well that they can't hear.....