Swarm Prevention

[Amari]

My bees have also not swarmed this year for the first time in ten years. No checker boarding. I read the article in recent BBKA news and was not impressed

The checkerboarding would not work for those of us near OSR which starts to flower at the end of March.

Ged Marshall, beefarmer and buckfast queen rearer, gave a lecture a couple of years ago on his method of swarm control. With numerous hives he hasn't the time to check each individually for signs of incipient swarming. I can't remember the detail but he inserts frame(s) of foundation in the middle of the brood nest on a ?weekly basis in all his strong colonies. He still gets the occasional swarm, but not many.

I wonder how other bee farmers conduct swarm control?

 

[Antipodes]

The checkerboarding would not work for those of us near OSR which starts to flower at the end of March.

Ged Marshall, beefarmer and buckfast queen rearer, gave a lecture a couple of years ago on his method of swarm control. With numerous hives he hasn't the time to check each individually for signs of incipient swarming. I can't remember the detail but he inserts frame(s) of foundation in the middle of the brood nest on a ?weekly basis in all his strong colonies. He still gets the occasional swarm, but not many.

I wonder how other bee farmers conduct swarm control?

As a start I try to open up the brood nest, as appropriate in the circumstances, giving the queen space to lay, bees things to do etc. Watch older queen colonies like a hawk.

Splits if the above doesn't work.

 

[john w]

Just a couple of observations ~ would'nt the same be achieved with timely box reversal of double brood so the brood can expand without constraint? Or if you use 8 over 8 configuration simply adding some more frames and/or reversal? Or even the use of deeper narrower frames? changing the bees perception of the top of the colony and allow for incoming nectar.

You need to be able to reliably predict peak swarm season for your locale – could be problematic ?

A bigger workforce is great as long as there is enough forage available for then to take advantage of and also the “explosion” in the population of workers needs to coincide with the flow for maximum benefit.

Once the bees have decided to swarm they will do just that. They make up their mind months before. Reversal of boxes has its place and I sometimes do it if the lower box is empty. As far as checkerboarding is concerned, the key is to allow the brood to expand and not intervene. Any intervention just sets them back, which is what happens each time we go into a hive breaking all the seals etc.
I use narrow frames (32mm) as I keep all my bees on small cell foundation. I get an extra frame or two and more (but smaller) bees. It gives them more room but as above once they have decided to swarm they will go. Checkerboarding stops this.
The first year we tried this we failed (partially) because of the very good point you and others make - we could not accurately predict mid swarm season because of our variable climate. Hence last year we went early, pre-Xmas and that worked and removed any uncertainty regarding timing.
Forage - fair point regarding availability and I think that would be an issue if there was commercial beekeeping operations but for most of us I have never known forage availability to be an issue except due to natural (climatic) variations eg this summer for many people was a flat liner.
john

 

[john w]

It may work in the steady climate/long summer weather you get in the USA doubt it will work constantly over here, just one season's 'success' is no measure of effectiveness.
If it was that good a system, why are many more (especially commercial beekeepers) not using it.

That's one point against it anyway

Its a very good question. I often ask myself the same about top entrance and small cell beekeeping, 3 years ago I manned a stand at the National Honey show talking about small cell and treatment free. I spoke to dozens of people and many expressed an interest but many more said words to the effect, 'I am ok as I am'. Beekeeping as you know is just another cohort of people doing something that is sometimes quite complex and we all think the way we do things works for us. Quite right too. Do we ever fancy exploring other ways....
You know how this stuff works.
Over here this is largely unknown but I have 2 commercial beekeepers that are going to have a go a this
john

 

[john w]

I find this interesting. I read the article and thought I might experiment next year. You mentioned December? Did that mean it was set up in December? 9 weeks before the peak swarming season would seem to be somewhere in February to me. When was the chequer board set up?
I like an experiment but I am not sure that I would be brave enough not to inspect the brood box. Depends where the bees are kept I suppose as to whether a swarm causes a problem with neighbours or not.

We did it first in the very mild 2 week spell in Feb 2018. 7 weeks later the bees in one colony swarmed. Now we hedge our bets and do it in December in order to remove the uncertainty. Initially we went through every frame to convince ourselves that they really were not swarming - it takes a leap of faith not to do that but you could try it on a single colony and continue to inspect!?
john

 

[Tim.S]

So many methods making life difficult. All I do is take some of the frames out of the brood box on the edge of the nest and place them over the excluder, and replace them with foundation. All single size boxes and the bees are kept busy continually expanding their brood nest but actually keeping it within the confines of one box. I like an easy life!

 

[Murox]

Once the bees have decided to swarm they will do just that. They make up their mind months before. Reversal of boxes has its place and I sometimes do it if the lower box is empty. As far as checkerboarding is concerned, the key is to allow the brood to expand and not intervene. Any intervention just sets them back, which is what happens each time we go into a hive breaking all the seals etc.
I use narrow frames (32mm) as I keep all my bees on small cell foundation. I get an extra frame or two and more (but smaller) bees. It gives them more room but as above once they have decided to swarm they will go. Checkerboarding stops this.
The first year we tried this we failed (partially) because of the very good point you and others make - we could not accurately predict mid swarm season because of our variable climate. Hence last year we went early, pre-Xmas and that worked and removed any uncertainty regarding timing.
Forage - fair point regarding availability and I think that would be an issue if there was commercial beekeeping operations but for most of us I have never known forage availability to be an issue except due to natural (climatic) variations eg this summer for many people was a flat liner.
john

I take it you utilise checker boarding as a part of a "non or minimal interventionist" style/approach? rather than using it as a stand alone swarm prevention method?
Pre Xmas last year the weather maybe favoured your intervention, I wouldn't use such a strategy where I live. Forage is always on my mind as I live in an area with a lot of green desert, although not a good summer I did manage to get a little spring honey.
My reference to frame size was to do with the overall depth and width rather than the bar breadth. Although not ideal for the keeper I think deeper frames suit bees better. I certainly agree that "any intervention just sets them back, which is what happens each time we go into a hive breaking all the seals etc."

 

[Erichalfbee]

We did it first in the very mild 2 week spell in Feb 2018. 7 weeks later the bees in one colony swarmed. Now we hedge our bets and do it in December in order to remove the uncertainty. Initially we went through every frame to convince ourselves that they really were not swarming - it takes a leap of faith not to do that but you could try it on a single colony and continue to inspect!?
john

Sorry I'm being thick here
What exactly are you doing in December?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Once the bees have decided to swarm they will do just that. They make up their mind months before.

I manned a stand at the National Honey show talking about small cell and treatment free.

Checkerboarding at Christmas time and small cells,
Poor poor bees

 

[hemo]

I'm glad someone doesn't take my house roof off in December.

 

[pete darbyshire]

I presume you are in the southern hemispere then?

 

[Michael ECB's]

Checkerboarding at Christmas time and small cells,
Poor poor bees

I was under the impression that "you guys" who reside closer to Santas Workshop up in the North have rather cold Decembers..? Or am I mistaken?
Perhaps I'm thinking of Canada?
That said,,,,
If/when I get deep into the "Christmas Spirits" during the December holidays I too end up doing some pretty strange things... Or so I'm told?
Our/my bees here southern H also seem to have less memory retention that the Northern Types...

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’m still curious.
i checked that Pangbourne was still In the U.K.
It is.

 

[hemo]

Who has enough forage incoming in December to checker board in the UK ?
We're be lucky to have temps above 6c.

 

[john w]

I take it you utilise checker boarding as a part of a "non or minimal interventionist" style/approach? rather than using it as a stand alone swarm prevention method?
Pre Xmas last year the weather maybe favoured your intervention, I wouldn't use such a strategy where I live. Forage is always on my mind as I live in an area with a lot of green desert, although not a good summer I did manage to get a little spring honey.
My reference to frame size was to do with the overall depth and width rather than the bar breadth. Although not ideal for the keeper I think deeper frames suit bees better. I certainly agree that "any intervention just sets them back, which is what happens each time we go into a hive breaking all the seals etc."

Sorry Murox - did not appreciate your point re frame sizes. I use shallow national frames throughout in the interest of keeping a good back!
Pre- Christmas means before it is too cold to inspect. I would not go in below 5 degrees or when the bees are clustered as per bee inspectors. Although in truth I am not going into the brood only the stores above and it can be done quickly.
I agree with your point - the bees definitely prefer deeper continuous comb. That is closer t what they do in the wild
The checkerboarding is both low intervention and a one off. Thereafter you are managing the incoming nectar flow.
john

 

[Murox]

Sorry Murox - did not appreciate your point re frame sizes. I use shallow national frames throughout in the interest of keeping a good back!
Pre- Christmas means before it is too cold to inspect. I would not go in below 5 degrees or when the bees are clustered as per bee inspectors. Although in truth I am not going into the brood only the stores above and it can be done quickly.
I agree with your point - the bees definitely prefer deeper continuous comb. That is closer t what they do in the wild
The checkerboarding is both low intervention and a one off. Thereafter you are managing the incoming nectar flow.
john

A horizontal hive might be useful for you, unless you move them around of course. You could use any size of frame and save your back.