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OK, I understand that checkerboarding is done in the supers, and that Walt uses one shallow or medium full of honey under the deep, then one empty on top of the deep, then alternating empty and full frames on top of that. But here is what I don't understand...
1. If this is done somewhere between Feb and April, where does all this excess honey come from? When my hives fill two or three supers of honey in the summer, I extract it. Otherwise I could end up with granulated honey in the comb. Besides that, It would really suck to go a year or two without a crop in order to use it the next year.
2. What do people mean by overwintering with honey on top? I use two deeps to overwinter. I live in Indiana, and the bees use the honey thats left on for them.
3. If I where to checkerboard, I would be seperating the broodnest from the overhead honey by placing the empty super between them. Could this cause starvation? Remember, our flows start later, but I believe brood rearing starts in Feb.
4. If I were to feed the bees in January - Febuary, can I use frames of capped syrup in place of the honey (as long as I mark the frames to aviod extracting it with honey)?
5. It would seem to me that It would take three years before a hive could be checkerboarded. If I start with a nuc, they build fast enough to survive the winter. Then if they do, the next year I can super, but not checkerboard because of a lack of excess drawn comb and honey per hive. Then the next year, I let those frames sit (and probably mold), and start with foundation again. Then the next year I can finally start checkerboarding? Is there a better way to get a hive ready for checkerboarding after the first year?
6. If you have a lack of drawn comb, and a lack of capped honey in feb - march, where do you start?
7. Because I live in the north, I have to ask, if these hives become very large and strong, how much more honey do I need to leave for them? If they are large and strong going into fall, would this not negate the extra honey produced because you would have to feed it to them in winter?
8. Can I let the bees fill a single shallow super in spring, then checkerboard it after it is drawn and filled? Or would I see no bennifit at that point?
Thanks
1. If this is done somewhere between Feb and April, where does all this excess honey come from? When my hives fill two or three supers of honey in the summer, I extract it. Otherwise I could end up with granulated honey in the comb. Besides that, It would really suck to go a year or two without a crop in order to use it the next year.
2. What do people mean by overwintering with honey on top? I use two deeps to overwinter. I live in Indiana, and the bees use the honey thats left on for them.
3. If I where to checkerboard, I would be seperating the broodnest from the overhead honey by placing the empty super between them. Could this cause starvation? Remember, our flows start later, but I believe brood rearing starts in Feb.
4. If I were to feed the bees in January - Febuary, can I use frames of capped syrup in place of the honey (as long as I mark the frames to aviod extracting it with honey)?
5. It would seem to me that It would take three years before a hive could be checkerboarded. If I start with a nuc, they build fast enough to survive the winter. Then if they do, the next year I can super, but not checkerboard because of a lack of excess drawn comb and honey per hive. Then the next year, I let those frames sit (and probably mold), and start with foundation again. Then the next year I can finally start checkerboarding? Is there a better way to get a hive ready for checkerboarding after the first year?
6. If you have a lack of drawn comb, and a lack of capped honey in feb - march, where do you start?
7. Because I live in the north, I have to ask, if these hives become very large and strong, how much more honey do I need to leave for them? If they are large and strong going into fall, would this not negate the extra honey produced because you would have to feed it to them in winter?
8. Can I let the bees fill a single shallow super in spring, then checkerboard it after it is drawn and filled? Or would I see no bennifit at that point?
Thanks