Moving down into the next box

[Zonker]

Seems like the moving down is the major topic of concern in the Warre world. Its weird that Mr. Warre didn't address the problem in his book

[Maryland Beekeeper]

I wonder if thinner TB's would help ?

[Bubbles]

The problem I see with thinner TB's is that it might not be strong enough to hold the combs that are built on them. I toyed with that idea but chickened out of it.

[praxis178]

I'd be inclined to make the topbars into actual frames. Leave the frames foundationless (Warre does mention doing this for ease of extraction and for keeping the drawn comb which is very useful), but being fully framed they are much easier to move and inspect as and when wanted.

Yes building the full frames is harder than just making a topbar, and some would say if you're going to that length why not just go the next step and use a Lang hive, but I think the pay off might be worth it. Note I don't keep Warres (one is on the drawing board for spring) so don't say this from experience, just book smarts. :P

[Bubbles]

I learned from another forum to build "ladders" to place in the empty boxes and the bees will gladly move up or down. I tried that last year and it worked. I used 2 halves of a foundation nailed between half topbars for my ladder since I have no access to old comb.
IMG_3433Added 2 ladders to a super.jpg

[odfrank]

I took my scroll saw to some medium depth brood frames to make bait combs for my new Warre's. Easy way to cut it to length and cut in the frame lug.

[Zonker]

I'm lost. Do the ladders hang in the lower empty box?

[praxis178]

Sure looks that way, they kinda look like they fill the role of a frame of empty drawn comb.... Would that be how they work?

[Bubbles]

IMG_3468.jpg
Taken on 6-29-12

I hung the ladders in an empty box and placed it on top of the original hive box as a super. Four days later, I took a picture of the bees' work on the ladders through the window. It was a little humid in there but you can tell the black foundation is covered with white comb. Two weeks after that, they got busy building a third comb from the middle top bar. I was really impressed with how fast the bees could work when they put their mind to it.

IMG_3539SuperA.jpg
Taken on 7-14-12

[Bush_84]

You can do both. Use this box to go above or below. I plan o doing both.

[Chris Danz]

I have melted comb down and painted it on triangle shaped top bars before I nadir the box. The bees moved down quickly. This was after I had another nadir box in which I had been waiting for them to start building comb, but they wouldn't. I made a box to fit on top of a Warre box, but it was sized for langstroth frames, which is what the bees come on. They wouldn't move down into the Warre box until I painted the top bars of the 2nd box I nadired with beeswax. I put that one on top of the original Warre box and they finally moved down. I was able to get some wax on the first box's top bars but I wasn't able to check it as fall came on quickly. I have seen the bees a few times this winter and they seem to be doing well. This is my first beehive. Maybe you could try that method.

[Bush_84]

So you would melt comb down to pain it on top bars? Why not just put the comb in the bottom box?

[Chris Danz]

The wax wasn't in comb form. it was crushed.

[beeman2009]

Have you tried using some LGO rubbed inside the box? Works great in bait hives for catching swarms. Just a thought.

[Bush_84]

The wax wasn't in comb form. it was crushed.

Ok that makes sense. I extracted my combs this year and all held up fine. So I will be using drawn comb this year, which is a huge benefit. I will not have any false floor problems with drawn comb available.

[BernhardHeuvel]

... don't seem to be going down into the bottom box

Need nectar flow or feeding.
Use bait combs or bait foundation.
Super instead of nadiring if theyinsist on staying in one box.

Don't wait, you need several boxes of comb for proper wintering.















Bernhard

[Zonker]

I love concept but I worry that the stamped foundation is drone sized. I think I'm going to tire it but put the ladder on the edges where the bees would normally do the drone cells.

[Solarbeez]

Well I've finally got my single box bees to expand, although I'm risking the "Tower of Babel" scenario. I didn't want to add someone else's comb and I couldn't separate the old brood box comb, so I used some old comb from a failed queenless hive that swarmed late in the season. I shot some video here... http://solarbeez.com/2013/03/27/warre-worries-waning/
I think when it gets time to separate the boxes I'll use Ubernerd's hive lift to jack up the box just a bit and see-saw a cheese wire through the bottom of the attached comb...anybody ever do this? Successfully?
Pat

[beeman2009]

I used a custom hive tool my extremely tallented wife forged for me to free up the bracing on one bar and moved it down.

Could you post a pic of this custom hive tool? I know I'm late, but I just found this ( rainy day reading ).

[gmcharlie]

Hey GMCHARLIE I just caught your comment on the light from the screened bottom. I had not heard that before. Can you expand on it any?

Sorry for the delay... Yes it seems quite often teh queens will not lay near the sreened bottom boards. I have heard its the light, and also references to the inability to control humidity and temp near the screen. no matter the reason, I am 100% sure its true. I cannot keep a queen in the bottom box with a SBB. if I try excluders the hive dwindles..... Now others will argue, so I am just reporting on what I see in my area in IL