# Started harvesting yesterday.



## Groves (Feb 2, 2012)

We only have 3 hives, all warrés.

Two have enough honey to allow us to rob the top box.

We're using clearer type boards.

We removed the top box, placed it on the ground on a solid board. Then removed the topcloth, and placed it back on the hive stack.

Then we put the escape board on top of the harvested box. We're using screen cones. Didn't know how many to put on the board, so one has 3 and another 5. There's a 2 inch rim to give the bees some room.

Bees have been escaping all day. I'll keep checking and when they're virtually all gone, we'll crush and strain.

Here's the escape board in use.


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## mike haney (Feb 9, 2007)

very nice but too much work for crush and strain-just shake/brush the bees off each frame & its done.


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## Groves (Feb 2, 2012)

mike haney said:


> very nice but too much work for crush and strain-just shake/brush the bees off each frame & its done.



On one box, all the combs went catty corner, and not lined up with the top bars. There's pretty much zero work using the escape board. I'd rather do all of my comb cutting and pulling without bees around, but it sounds like you enjoy your way, too.


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## chaindrivecharlie (Apr 6, 2008)

Very nice, I might have to try using my escape board like that. Make sure you post some pics of your crush and strain.


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## Zonker (Mar 10, 2010)

With a true warre, the escape board is definitely the way to go. I was in a hurry, didn't use an escape board, and brought the boxes homes. Had enough bees come home with me that the alley was unsafe for several days. Eventually I put out an old hive and the homeless gals moved in. I gave them a couple days to calm down, then took the hive back to the apiary and combined it with a weak hive. I think Warre used a ton of smoke, but I don't want to flavor the honey.

Dadant sells little red cones for escape boards


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## Groves (Feb 2, 2012)

I spoke a bit too soon about my boxes.

Because I used the escape boards (with the boxes off the hive stack), I waited several days before peering underneath.

I should have done so sooner (like right when I took them off) because I failed to make sure that the box I was removing indeed was full of capped honey.

Here they are.

















The bottom picture is indeed full of honey. It weighed 41 lbs.

The top picture is actually a taller box, but only weighed 34 lbs. I could see just a bit of capped brood, but there were lots of uncapped cells, and I couldn't tell whether they were nectar or brood.

So, I decided to put it back onto the hive stack. It had been several days, so I'm sure any brood was dead. Bummer. Saw quite a few hive beetles, too.

The box below that one had a window, which showed only capped honey. This is a rookie mistake, assuming that the whole box contains what you see in the window.

It fits, cause I'm a rookie. I once was blind, but now I see!


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## Kelbor (Apr 26, 2011)

Quick question (i have only previously harvested one comb at a time from my Warre).

How do you insure that the queen is not in the top box if all the comb is not capped? I consistently find brood up in the top box, middle and lower portion comb? Im a bit scared to pull the box and throw a escape on like you built even though it seems to be the easiest, most recommended route to take.


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## Zonker (Mar 10, 2010)

The queen will normally flee from the smoke et al. so I don't think its a big problem, but I won't pull any boxes with brood. I insert my escape into the hive for a day or two which would give the queen plenty of time to leave.
These photos are of my escape https://www.box.com/s/u3f2uzj0f3gzr6egmrmh


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## chaindrivecharlie (Apr 6, 2008)

Nice setup Zonker!


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