# Help- Brand new beekeeper w Warre...bees building on bottom



## WBVC (Apr 25, 2013)

I started a Warre this year with a small package. I put a box on the bottom board. Put the bees and Queen in that box. Put the bars on the box and a feeder above the bars in the empty top box. 
They are drawing out comb well.
Soon I will put another box below the one they are working on. I hope I can get some help doing this so the upper box is simply lifted as someone slides on the box below it.


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## wagnerwoodworks (Mar 11, 2015)

dirtndye,

Depending on where you live, it may be worth while to nadir one (or two) boxes below the box in which they are building comb, then remove the empty top box. If you don't remove the empty top box, they may build comb UP from tops of the bars from which they've already built comb. The reason I mentioned your location is that if you are in a northern area, the empty box above them creates an attic effect and makes it harder for the bees to keep warm. They need two things for drawing comb: Nectar flow (e.g. your syrup) and heat.

Usually when I install a package in a Warre, I do it in three boxes. I know that many just do it in two boxes, but I always expand my hives around Easter, nadiring two boxes (for a total of four). I don't install packages for at least a week or two later; at that point it's normally safe to put them in a bigger space. The likelihood of them filling out more than three boxes after being installed as a package is pretty low; however, an overwintered hive needs more room.


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## dirtndye (Mar 31, 2015)

Thank you-
Good point about them possibly building the combs up from the lower bars; I am in central western Virginia, zone 7. Many bees have been bringing pollen back for about a week, and I can see through the window in the hive that there is something in some of the comb cells. Should I continue feeding? They have five large combs in the bottom box. I also saw a few bees checking out the upper top bars.


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## wagnerwoodworks (Mar 11, 2015)

Regarding the question on feeding, the answer is that it depends on if your nectar flow has started. Here (i'm zone 6a) the nectar flow starts at the end of April/early May. One way to know if the nectar flow is on is to keep an eye on how quickly they take the syrup. Usually they won't take much syrup if the flow is on. When there is no flow, they can easily down a quart or more per day. Once you start feeding though, you really shouldn't stop until the nectar flow has started. To build comb, the bees need to believe there is a nectar flow.


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