Checkerboarding is a fascinating method of avoiding swarming without intervening in the brood. It has been used by a small minority of beekeepers in the USA (for the last 25 years) and the UK (6 years) with some surprising fringe aspects. It is a truly low intervention form of beekeeping. There is no need to go into the brood box to check for swarm preparation throughout the season. It is a one-time exercise. Unlike most things that sound too good to be true this works. We have had no swarms or swarm cells for the last 6 years. It is simple and effective. Like everything there are ups and downs about this method but we believe the benefits to the beekeeper far outweigh the other considerations.
18 сен 2024
