TexasBeeSam · Texas, US · Honey · Jun 17, 2026

Adding supers vs checkerboarding — when does each actually make sense?

Fourth year, ten hives in central Texas, tallow flow going strong. I keep seeing checkerboarding recommended in the same breath as supering and I think people are mixing up two different tools. My understanding: checkerboarding is Walt Wright's trick of alternating empty drawn comb with honey frames ABOVE the brood nest in early spring, before swarm prep starts, to break up the honey band and kill the swarm impulse. Supering is just staying ahead of storage space once the flow is on. So mid-June, mid-flow — is there any case for checkerboarding now, or is it purely add-supers-early-and-often territory? And do y'all super over an excluder or let them move up first?

#supering#checkerboarding#nectar-flow#honey

▲ 16 votes 💬 3 replies

3 replies

GeorgiaWes · Jun 17, 2026

You've got it right. Checkerboarding is a February-March move here in Georgia — done before the colony starts swarm math, needs drawn comb, and done mid-flow it just chills nothing and wrecks a good nectar arc. Once the flow's on the game is simple: super BEFORE they need it. My rule is when the top box is 7 of 10 frames covered with bees, another box goes on. Bees back-fill the brood nest fast in a strong flow and that's how you lose a swarm in June.

AlpineCarnica · Jun 17, 2026

Agree — different tools for different phases. On the excluder question: I let them start in a new super without one (or bait it with a frame of open nectar from below), then slide the excluder in once they're working it. Bees are reluctant to cross an excluder onto undrawn foundation, much less so onto comb they've already claimed.

MayaBees · Jun 17, 2026

One more vote for supering early during the flow — the empty box overhead is also swarm prevention, not just storage. And undersupering (adding the new box below the partly-filled one) is worth trying if your backs can take the lifting; the bees finish and cap the top box nicely.

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