[cnatsu1]

Brand new beek (first post) here, got my bees this spring. Built my warre hive this last year from salvaged pine lumber. Recently had extreme bearding going on and thought it was just the heat but when I tilted my boxes they felt very heavy, so I added a 3rd box on the bottom. Bearding has decreased dramatically, so now I am wondering if I should add a 4th box on top as a super?

My thinking is if the bees have filled a couple of boxes in the last 2 1/2 months then they should fill a couple more by the end of the year. Hate to admit it, but I'm a cheap bugger and don't have smoker or any other equipment but a mosquito net and a boonie cap. Got stung a couple of times doing the under super and have read a few posts about adding one of top. Looking for the expert advice. Hoping I might actually get some honey this year when I wasn't planning on it.

Have a few items in my cart at kelleybees.com. Need to call and get a shipping rate.

 

[Harley Craig]

Not an expert, in fact I have never touched a warre, but supering certainly won't hurt especially if you have the ability to bring a combor two up and put empty top bars in their place, not sure how that works with a warree but I know even in a Lang its hard to get them to move up with out a ladder comb to entice them to move up

 

[Teabag]

I know you are probably thinking how much easier it seems to super rather than nadir. However, I would nadir a 4th box rather than super. From what you are saying, nadiring the 3rd box worked. The bees moved downwards and it gave them additional space which helped ease the bearding. If nadiring is working, why change to supering. As previously suggested, you could move some combs into the 4th box to make ladders and then super. However, if you don’t have the combs to spare, don’t be tempted to super an empty box as it could well lead to a big mess.

 

[BernhardHeuvel]

...if I should add a 4th box on top as a super?

No. Summer solstice is over, population soon will decline. Better let them fill the topmost solidly with honey and remove that later. I doubt it. Usually the bees will partially draw the third nadired box. You can remove this bottom-most, partially filled box in late autumn, when the bees left it. Treat with B401 against wax moth. Use that box in early spring for supering, just before a strong nectar flow.

For a Warré it works best, if you nadir in the first year and super the next year. Supering with bee ladders only, means two drawn combs or foundation in the new super.

 

[Ennui]

I've had very little bearding this season... until earlier in the week. The temp went up to 98F and it very humid. I swear every single bee bearded up outside one of the hives. There had to 5+ lbs hanging there.

Take the heat and humidity then combine that with the hive full of clover nectar they are trying to dry out... I'm really not surprised there was a lot of bearding. I just didn't realize the hive population was that high.

 

[cnatsu1]

Thank you for the responses! Sounds like the best route is to keep nadiring. I'm going to wait and see how it goes with just the 3rd box for now and add a 4th later if needed.

 

[cnatsu1]

Treat with B401 against wax moth. Use that box in early spring for supering, just before a strong nectar flow.

Bernhard - How do I need to store that box after treatment to use the next spring as a super?? wrap in plastic, paper, freeze??

 

[BernhardHeuvel]

Waxmoth do not like fresh air and sun, so what I do is, is to stack boxes on a ventilated floor and top it with a ventilated cover. You need to make sure that no rodents have access, as is with other creatures. Dry and airy. I tuck them away in a shed, but an attic or so is not too bad either.