Checkerboarding for Success: Swarm Prevention & Comb Renewal in Spring and Summer
Checkerboarding for Success: Swarm Prevention & Comb Renewal in Spring and Summer
By Mark Vanderende | The Foraging Bee
As the bees wake up with the warming sun, so must we as beekeepers. Spring is more than just buzzing blossoms and early nectar—it’s also the kickoff to two key seasonal strategies: swarm prevention and brood comb renewal. And guess what? With a little checkerboarding know-how, you can do both while helping your hives stay productive, healthy, and strong.
Let’s break down these two checkerboarding techniques and how they fit into your spring and summer management calendar.
1. Checkerboarding for Swarm Prevention
When to do it: Late winter to early spring (4–6 weeks before swarm season)
Why: To relieve congestion above the brood nest and signal that there’s still space to expand.
How it works:
This classic checkerboarding method happens above the brood nest, typically in the upper deep box or honey super. You alternate frames of capped honey with empty drawn comb, creating a checkerboard pattern. This encourages upward movement and disrupts swarm triggers by making the bees think there’s still plenty of room to grow.
Pro Tip: Only do this with strong, overwintered colonies. Never break up the brood nest—keep the cluster intact!
2. Brood Nest Checkerboarding for Comb Renewal
When to do it: During spring and summer nectar flows
Why: To encourage bees to draw new comb and begin replacing old, dark frames that may harbor disease or pesticide residues.
How it works:
This method takes place inside the brood nest. Remove one or two old or heavily used brood frames and replace them with fresh drawn comb or foundation, just outside the core brood area. Bees are more likely to build out the new space during a nectar flow, naturally refreshing your brood chamber with clean wax.
Pro Tip: Never insert foundation directly into the middle of the brood nest unless it’s warm and the colony is large. Gradual changes = less disruption.
A Sustainable Strategy
By combining these two forms of checkerboarding, you’re doing more than preventing swarms or replacing comb—you’re helping your bees stay balanced, build naturally, and thrive long-term.
It’s a gentle, proactive approach rooted in observation, timing, and understanding how your colony responds to space and flow.
Let’s 🐝 Curious Together
Are you using checkerboarding this season? Snap a photo of your frame swaps or brood comb rotation and tag us on Instagram @foragingbee.
Want to go deeper into hive management?
Join one of our hands-on workshops or subscribe to our Edu-🐝 video series, where we break down beekeeping techniques like this, step by step.
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—That’s the Foraging Bee way.
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