View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
What Now? Guard Bee
Joined: 26 Mar 2012 Posts: 59 Location: Coventry, UK
|
Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2014 6:43 am Post subject: Harvesting honey from a Warre |
|
|
We've got 3 boxes on our Warre. Each box has a window. The top to look choka block full. The bottom - nothing at all. Looks to be plenty of busy bees.
Is it time to harvest a small amount of honey? They main question is ..... which box do we take the honey from .... middle or top? When we do take some, we aren't planning on taking a whole box full - some maybe half, and then leave the rest for them for winter.
What do you reckon?
Thanks. Richard. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
catchercradle Golden Bee

Joined: 31 May 2010 Posts: 1550 Location: Cambridge, UK
|
Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2014 9:43 am Post subject: |
|
|
With the Warré the theory is that you always harvest from the top box and add boxes back on form the bottom, though some advocate in northern climes once you are up to two boxes adding at the top as the bees seem more inclined to build comb than move down into a fourth box. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Dexter's shed Scout Bee
Joined: 16 May 2014 Posts: 307 Location: Grays, Essex, UK
|
Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2014 9:59 am Post subject: |
|
|
I am unsure on the dimensions of a warre box, but I bet it's smaller than a national brood box, in which case, I'd be leaving it all for the bees, normal try to leave them a good 40lb to over winter, if theres any left in spring, then pinch some |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Barbara Site Admin
Joined: 27 Jul 2011 Posts: 1857 Location: England/Co.Durham/Ebchester
|
Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2014 10:02 am Post subject: |
|
|
When you say "nothing at all" in the bottom box, do you mean no comb or the comb is empty or there is just no honey in the bottom box.
Personally I would be wary of harvesting anything until next year if they only have 2 boxes of brood and stores now. If you are really desperate for a taste of honey though, I would guess a side bar from the top box will be your safest bet to get honey with no brood, but it will probably be a messy job cutting it out and you need to be vigilant for robbing afterwards as a result of any spilled honey. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
What Now? Guard Bee
Joined: 26 Mar 2012 Posts: 59 Location: Coventry, UK
|
Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2014 12:43 pm Post subject: Thanks, |
|
|
This is a great forum. Thanks to you all for such quick and helpful replies.
Barbara - I mean that the bottom box is empty. I put it there about 3 months ago when the only 2 there looked very crowded. Since then they have stayed in the top 2, or the original 2. In the bottom one they haven't even started building any comb .... nowt. They just skip the basement and go straight to the first floor.
I think they swarmed about 6 weeks ago.
Maybe we'll save ourselves a job, and just leave it until spring ..... as Dexters shed suggests.
Thanks folks! |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
catchercradle Golden Bee

Joined: 31 May 2010 Posts: 1550 Location: Cambridge, UK
|
Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2014 2:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
If bottom box is empty I would leave it all for them till late spring. I like to keep my warré on four boxes and replace one when I harvest. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
SPECIAL OFFER FOR UK FORUM MEMBERS - Buy your protective clothing here and get a special 15% discount! (use the code BAREFOOTBEEKEEPER at checkout and be sure to 'update basket')
Are the big energy companies bleeding you dry?
Is way too much of your hard-earned family income going up in smoke?
Are you worried about what could happen if the ageing grid system fails?
You need to watch this short video NOW to find out how YOU can cut your energy bills TO THE BONE within 30 days!
WATCH THE VIDEO NOW
|
Conserving wild bees
Research suggests that bumble bee boxes have a very low success rate in actually attracting bees into them. We find that if you create an environment where first of all you can attract mice inside, such as a pile of stones, a drystone wall, paving slabs with intentionally made cavities underneath, this will increase the success rate.
Most bumble bee species need a dry space about the size a football, with a narrow entrance tunnel approximately 2cm in diameter and 20 cm long. Most species nest underground along the base of a linear feature such as a hedge or wall. Sites need to be sheltered and out of direct sunlight.
There is a spectacular display of wild bee hotels here
More about bumblebees and solitary bees here
Information about the Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum)
|
|
|
Barefoot Beekeeper Podcast
|
|
|
|
4th Edition paperback now available from Lulu.com
|
site map
php. BB © 2001, 2005 php. BB Group
View topic - Harvesting honey from a Warre - Natural Beekeeping Network Forum
|
|