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What Now? Guard Bee
Joined: 26 Mar 2012 Posts: 59 Location: Coventry, UK
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Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 7:16 am Post subject: Warre .. bottom box. |
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The colony in my Warre survived the winter. At present it is a very small colony. I have 2 boxes. They are busy in the top one. The bottom one is full of 'comb' with very little activity there in.
The question is: Should this bottom one be left just as it is, or should i swap it with an empty one so they can start making fresh comb for the new season?
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catchercradle Golden Bee

Joined: 31 May 2010 Posts: 1551 Location: Cambridge, UK
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Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 11:12 am Post subject: |
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I would leave the comb and once they have built up enough to have a lot of activity in the bottom box, then add a third. |
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ingo50 Scout Bee
Joined: 30 May 2014 Posts: 311 Location: Newport, Gwent, Wales, UK
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Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 9:01 pm Post subject: |
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They have invested a lot of work building comb in the bottom box, making them start all over will be a setback, they should move down when they are ready. I assume that you have not lost bees via a swarm. |
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barshambees Nurse Bee
Joined: 26 Feb 2015 Posts: 26 Location: UK/Suffolk/Beccles
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Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2016 10:34 am Post subject: |
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My warre hive had been on one box filled with comb and one empty box underneath since I hived a swarm in it last spring. I thought they were never going to go down to the empty one. Now, in the last three weeks they have filled it with comb and eggs and brood..... all of a sudden. I have just put a third underneath as well now. Seems like they will fill it when it suits. |
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AugustC Silver Bee

Joined: 08 Jul 2013 Posts: 613 Location: Malton, North Yorkshire
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Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2016 8:44 pm Post subject: |
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if the comb in the bottom box is completely empty then you "could" take out a few combs and put them in the middle of a third box ready in case they build up enough to want a third box. The comb helps them move down more readily. |
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Quality Top Bar Hives by Andrew Vidler
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Conserving wild bees
Research suggests that bumble bee boxes have a very low success rate in actually attracting bees into them. We find that if you create an environment where first of all you can attract mice inside, such as a pile of stones, a drystone wall, paving slabs with intentionally made cavities underneath, this will increase the success rate.
Most bumble bee species need a dry space about the size a football, with a narrow entrance tunnel approximately 2cm in diameter and 20 cm long. Most species nest underground along the base of a linear feature such as a hedge or wall. Sites need to be sheltered and out of direct sunlight.
There is a spectacular display of wild bee hotels here
More about bumblebees and solitary bees here
Information about the Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum)
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