# Overwintering in three boxes



## noblebee (Dec 21, 2014)

Anyone have any experience in overwintering a warre hive with three boxes or success with this?


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## JConnolly (Feb 21, 2015)

The Warre hive was developed by Emile Warre in France. Most of France is agricultural zone 8 and 9. It is much milder than our climate. You are zone 5b, 6a. Same as me. I recommend three boxes and get a feeder on now with 2:1 to top them off.


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## johnsof (Oct 14, 2014)

I always overwinter in three boxes and (knock on wood) have had quite good overwintering success with only very rarely losing any hives over winter. I have a 6 foot tall fence as a windbreak about 3 feet behind the hives and I put a piece of 1/8" perforated pegboard under the screened bottom boards, that's it. Try to have top box full of honey and middle box 1/2 full, and then start looking really hard as to whether or not I need to feed along about the end of February. The Warre hives are up off the ground from 12 inches to 18 inches.
7 Warre hives and 1 Langstroth (with a quilt box)
Zone 4a


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## noblebee (Dec 21, 2014)

Thank you for the reply. You are a little colder than me,
we are 6b. I have not put up a wind break, but have put 2 inch high density foam around my three hives with bungee cords. I will use the peg board idea as well.


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