nectar management - checkerboarding

In the previous post using external measurements and observations, I postulated bees consumed honey and raised late-winter brood.   February 12th was my first 2022 hive inspection and I took action, well some actions!

• an 8 frame medium box with drawn comb was set aside from the hive - drawn comb is a luxury that I rarely have at hand as a crush-and-strain beekeeper
• the bees had corralled small hive beetles above the inner cover - I crushed these beetles using the short edge of the standard hive tool or my finger
  
• every other frame in the hive's top medium box was exchanged with every other frame of the set aside 8 frame medium box
• the top medium box contained 7 frames of nectar and 1 frame of capped honey
  
• the set aside medium box was placed onto the hive completing my 8-frame version of checkerboarding
  
• as more winter temperatures are expected, I returned the hard foam insulation above the inner cover and overlapped two hive cozys to cover the new medium box
  

2020 nectar flow

15 days ago, I checkerboarded and added a medium box.  Today I repeated that process to keep up with the nectar flow.   My version of checkerboarding uses foundation-less frames with no drawn comb. New comb is drawn in a typical pattern of merging teardrop curves. 

I used the right angle end of the (traditional spring steel) hive tool to increase the space between frame top bars. Next I lifted the top bar end with a Frame Cleaner tool - that yellow handle tool in my right hand.  I've forgotten how I discovered this indispensable off-label use of the Frame Cleaner tool.

third hand tool - wood shims

This year, I asked for help in the beeyard - a neighborhood beekeeper (aka He who must not be taken seriously) helped brush bees off capped honey frames and then place those frames into a covered storage tote.   Later the same day, friends Lauren and Todd helped in the kitchen, cut-out comb, then crush and strain the honey crop.   These are wonderful examples of an extra pair of hands.

Now imagine working solo in the beeyard - pry a gap beneath the top box with a standard hive tool and insert wood shims as a third hand tool.  Move to the opposite side of the box and repeat the process.   Now it's easier to lift the top box without fighting sticky propolis re-gluing the gap.  As wood shims are hard to recover against a leaf litter background - I add a piece of blue tape to the thick end of shim.