[Iddee]

A quick reference to the articles Walt has had published on his checkerboarding, swarm control, and other subjects. Some very fine info contained here.

http://www.knology.net/~k4vb/all%20walt%20articles.htm

 

[dogsoldier13]

thanks for turning us on to the walt wright articles,very good reading

 

[Tia]

I'm in love with Walt Wright. I purchased his 60-page paper on "Nectar Management Principles and Practices and read it cover to cover. Walt put a little sticky note on the cover and wrote, "Tia, Lady beekeepers are my favorite people. They are more amenable to change! Thanks, Walt."

Anyway, even though I found some of it pretty confusing, I've implemented "checkerboarding" as I understand it, and ever since I've had only one swarm issue. I think that's pretty good!

 

[tecumseh]

Tia writes:
Anyway, even though I found some of it pretty confusing

tecumseh:
this seems to be the most common comment in regards to this 'paper'. this remark doesn't seem to vary so much no matter if you are a new beekeeper or old. the author seems to be somewhat to totally in denial in this regards, although this observation has been made again and again publicly. in the authors own word he has been unable to sell this idea to the academics (theory types), nor commercial beekeepers (pure practice folks)... so the only audience he has left I would guess would be folks who know little and cannot critique his thinking and writing. The author admits to having NO documentation to support his theory.

I suspect some folks might find it beneficial to investigate BF Skinner's superstitious chicken phenomena. or perhaps consider what makes for causality versus what make for some casual relation.

after 50 years of keeping bees and reading a lot of stuff in books and journals I would suggest that every old idea once though dead seems to be reborn again about 20 to 25 years later.

 

[Tia]

See what happens when I open my big mouth? Yesterday, I had a swarm, albeit a tiny one. Landed about 5' up in the wax myrtle that the last swarm occupied. Only this time a bird had built a nest in it, the next was intertwined with about ten branches and the swarm was intertwined in the nest. I'd have to cut about half the tree off, which I was not inclined to do. So I put a sheet on the ground, a medium box with 5 frames of honey & nectar on top, sprinkled some lemongrass oil on the top bars & entrance, then sprayed the cluster with sugar water and gave the entire tree a good shake. The bees fell all over the place and after a while looked very interested in the box, fanning nasanov and the like. I put the top on the box and left Mother Nature to her thing. Went back to check this morning, and they're gone. Wasn't expecting much so I'm not disappointed.
The only thing that gets me is I was just in my hives the day before yesterday and checked for swarm cells and found none. Is it possible the new queen hatched before the old queen exited?

 

[rwurster]

I have been looking for these checkerboarding links for a few days now. I like the idea and would like to try it but I didn't take any honey from my bees last year (my first year of bee keeping), thus I have no empty comb to use for this process.

 

[Iddee]

Use empty frames. The process is the same and you will have drawn comb shortly. Just don't spread the brood too thin before the weather warms. Chill brood is not good.