# It worked the way Warre said it could...



## Houstonbees (Jul 7, 2014)

1---winter of 2012/2013, did a lot of reading and finally built the bee hives to Warre's specifications per the Warre hive plans link on this website. Cut one piece of wood for one, might as well cut one more for another. 
2---Hived the 3lb package of bees into the first hive early May 2013 (about 6 weeks before the Chinese Tallow trees here in Houston come to bloom). 
3---Left the girls alone to do there thing until I inspected mid August and found the two boxes full of comb, so I nadired a third. They never filled the third box all of 2013. Lots of drones flying in and out in mid August for a few days, then the drone activity settled down (I suspect they made a new queen). 
4---Hefted the hive in late September 2013, weighed about 40lbs. Never took any honey last year, and they made it through winter with no problems. 
5---April 2014 I lifted the hive and took off the bottom board and lo and behold, combs being built in the third box! Much activity in and out of the entrance. So I SUPERED a box hoping to capture the Chinese Tallow tree nectar that flows in June. 
6---April 2014 Second Warre started with a swarm caught at the airport here in Houston. Weight was about two pounds. Successfully hived and they did not abscond! 
7---Early August 2014 Took the top box off Hive #1 and was EMPTY! Only two combs partially drawn and that was it! Shocked and disappointed! 
But, box below supred box (original top box from last year) was FULL with capped honey on 8 fully drawn combs. Yield from these 8 fully drawn combs came to 23lbs of beautiful amber colored Chinese Tallow tree nectar/honey. 
Pictures to follow! 
8---So, now there are two hives in the back yard sitting on hive stands in the back corner of the yard. Pictures to follow when I get the weeds and what not cleaned out from around the hives. 
I got the table saw back from my brother. More bee hives to be built this winter! 
Gunther, in Houston TX


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## bjverano (Jun 18, 2014)

Congratulations on your success. I'm going into winter with one Warre. I haven't opened the hive at all but will soon. They have been very active all summer. I was able to get a swarm in MY so I think they're acclimated well to our climate. My husband always feeds his bees that are in Langs. I'd rather not feed my Warre bees. Did you feed your bees last winter?
Any advice is welcome. 
Bonnie


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## Houstonbees (Jul 7, 2014)

Thanks! 
Bonnie, I did not feed the hive near the end of the year. I left them all they collected and figured from hefting the hive in late Sept/early Oct the hive had about 20lbs of honey to make it through the winter. I took the top box this year and again will leave them anything they pack away from here on out. We get a good flow in mid September to late October with Goldenrod bloom and Golden Rain Tree bloom.
Regards,
Gunther


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## bjverano (Jun 18, 2014)

Gunther, 
Thanks for the advice. I'll do the same. I did read about that method so it's good to hear that it worked well for you. We've got a lot still coming into the hive so I'll check the weight and stores when the blooming slows down. Lots of sunflowers and buckwheat right now. 
Bonnie


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## Houstonbees (Jul 7, 2014)

Bonnie,
I'm trying to do this "experiment" as "intervention free" as possible. Yes, I've read about v-mites, tracheal mites, various foul broods ,etc,etc,etc. But I'm a pretty firm believer it letting the bees do their "thing". After all, I'd imagine a hive that's well establish pretty much knows what to do after 60 million years of evolution. I think constantly going in every week or every other week to see if the egg laying pattern is correct, are there enough worker brood vs. drone brood cells , are the combs as straight as they should be? , etc really upsets the balance (chemical, pheromone, or otherwise).


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