Is it OK to put a frame of foundation in the middle of the brood nest?

[Amari]

Thanks to all for all these experiences and opinions

 

[Goran]

"I found that some use something similar ( as routine) to get supersede q cells which claimed high quality"

presumably relying on the reduction in pheromones, in absence of other swarm stimuli, to fool colony into thinking queen is failing.

Yes that is the idea, but I am curious are they really supersede quality or emergency quality. The only way to be sure is to do it this season by myself. Even is stated that are higher quality queens.
I always say: since I caught myself in a lie, I don't believe nothing.. Little roughly said, in nicer speaking - I want to hear all the experiences and some which are interesting to me want to also try practically to prove it even to myself.

 

[Goran]

I took over the management of a 500 colony operation back in June of 1982. The previous beekeeper had spread the broodnest in May, by placing a frame of foundation in the middle of the broodnest. In many of the colonies, the queen wound up stuck on one side of the broodnest, and refused to cross over to the brood combs on the far side of the foundation. Even those that had drawn the foundation into comb behaved in the same way.

Thanks for the sharing interesting info, will look more carefully if that occur. Now I am scratching my head hoping to remember did I noticed this ( no use..)..

 

[drstitson]

"but I am curious are they really supersede quality or emergency quality"

i suppose you'd just need to assess numbers of cells, the age of eggs/larvae chosen for the cells and when sealed.

 

[richardbees]

Yes

thanks, food for thought!

rich

 

[Ely]

Doesn't checker boarding involve something similar?

 

[Michael Palmer]

Walt Wright's checkerboarding involves alternating combs of honey and empty combs above the broodnest, not brood combs within the broodnest.

 

[Teebeeaitch]

"Walt Wright's checkerboarding involves alternating combs of honey and empty combs above the broodnest, not brood combs within the broodnest."

Yes, I think thats an important point about checkerboarding. So many people seem to confuse the process of checkerboarding with that of keeping an open broodnest. As you rightly point out, with checkerboarding the brood is undisturbed. Walt is always very keen to make that point about his findings.

 

[Ely]

Walt Wright's checkerboarding involves alternating combs of honey and empty combs above the broodnest, not brood combs within the broodnest.

Thank you. What are the benefits of checkerboarding honey and empty combs?

 

[drstitson]

"What are the benefits of checkerboarding honey and empty combs?"

gives the bees something to do.

 

[Michael Palmer]

Thank you. What are the benefits of checkerboarding honey and empty combs?

According to Walt, it eliminates 100% of swarming. He claims that once checker boarded, his colonies have never swarmed.

He and I have had numerous run-ins. I don't believe any single manipulation will eliminate 100% of swarming in your bees.

If you read his POV on BeeSource, and his threads, he claims that no other beekeeper...since the beginning of our trade, has figured out how to stop swarming. Only Walt. I find his swarming timeline was constructed to fit his dogma, not that his dogma was fit to any swarming timeline.

Perhaps beekeeping in his area of North America is significantly different than where I keep bees, but in my opinion, bees are bees.

 

[BILL.HEARD]

According to Walt, it eliminates 100% of swarming. He claims that once checker boarded, his colonies have never swarmed.

He and I have had numerous run-ins. I don't believe any single manipulation will eliminate 100% of swarming in your bees.

If you read his POV on BeeSource, and his threads, he claims that no other beekeeper...since the beginning of our trade, has figured out how to stop swarming. Only Walt. I find his swarming timeline was constructed to fit his dogma, not that his dogma was fit to any swarming timeline.

Perhaps beekeeping in his area of North America is significantly different than where I keep bees, but in my opinion, bees are bees.

I agree, supers to give room for bees to alleviate pressure on the broodnest irrespective of any honey flow will help prevent swarming, better for me than checker boarding.