David Hocutt has received multiple inquiries from individuals concerning when to checkerboard and or super.
Checker-Boarding is a hive management technique used to predispose a colony/hive toward increased honey production and decreased tendency to swarm. Frame manipulations must be done early in the spring, when a certain number of “Growth-Degree Days”. have accumulated. The latter is explained elsewhere. (David Hocutt has made presentations on this subject for The Beekeepers of Indiana, previous CIBA meetings and clubs throughout the state).
In response to an inquiry about the correct date for checker-boarding, here are some guidelines.
Growth-Degree Days (GDDs) accumulate on the basis of cumulative daily high and low temperatures. This will vary from year-to-year, and by the location of the hives. To determine this for your area:
Go to the Central Indiana Beekeepers Association website (www.indyurbanbeekeeping.org)
Go to the Growth Degree Day Calculator article, on the same CIBA Home Page, for a link to “Green Cast Syngenta’s) FREE Growing Degree Days Calculator.
Enter your zip code and set the date range to current year.
When this total growth degree days reach between 45 and 50 go ahead and checkerboard or super.
IN ADVANCE you should go ahead and prepare any supers that you will use for this process.
At this time of year GDDs can accumulate very quickly. – If you are not ready, it may be too late.
(Once the “magic number” of 50 is hit, manipulations must be done NOW! To the extent this number is exceeded, the less effective or ineffective the process).
As of March 20, in my area (Zip Code 46032) the count is currently has 13.5 growth degree days. Your area may be similar. Again – Important – now that we are getting some warmer days, you will need to keep a close eye on the GDD numbers. They will sneak up on you quickly, so check daily.
Good Luck, David Hocutt