This publish might include associate hyperlinks. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please learn my disclosure.
Valued for honey manufacturing and pollination services and products, the explanations we stay honey bees have now not modified a lot through the years. However we beekeepers are continuously striving to seek out the most efficient choices for our colonies. One taste of beehive that has a notable following is the “Warre Hive”. A glance into the historical past, design and philosophy of the Warre beehive reveals our craving for a extra herbal means.
First, you will need to keep in mind that there is not any one very best form of beehive to make use of. Your beekeeping objectives, the local weather the place you are living or even your taste of hive control will have to be considered when you decide.
What Is a Warre Hive?
The Warre hive (WAR-ray) is regularly known as a vertical best bar hive. It is composed of stackable sq. containers which are generally made from picket.
It’s often referred to as the “Other folks’s Hive” and used to be designed to require minimum disturbance by way of beekeepers.
This hive used to be invented by way of French priest, Emile Warre within the early 20th century. The philosophy at the back of the Warre hive used to be to permit bees to practice their animal instincts and rhythms, leading to much less rigidity at the colony.
May he devise a hive that allowed honey manufacturing for the beekeeper however nonetheless promoted higher colony well being?
He studied masses of hive designs from the early bee skeps to the fashionable Langstroth hive to seek for the most efficient design components.
His objective used to be a cylindrical hive that mimicked the interior of a hole tree. On the other hand, it used to be tricky and costly to make spherical formed containers on the time. So he used sq. containers – nearer to the tree form than the oblong containers in use.
Key Options of Warre Beehives
A compelling characteristic of this hive taste in its simplicity. Within the wild, a bee swarm strikes into a brand new location and starts to construct comb down from the highest. That is the place the primary brood nest happens.
Because the colony grows, the brood nest is moved down towards the ground of the hive with honey garage on best. The straightforward portions of this hive employ that herbal bee tendency.
Base
The bottom is the backside board of the hive. It supplies an front for the bees to go into and go away the hive and is in most cases smaller than that of Langstroth entrances.
Containers
Considered one of extra containers are added to the bottom for the bees to are living inside of. Those sq. containers are smaller than the bee containers (supers) of Langstroth hives.
They usually measure about 12” x 12”. It’s standard to peer outdoor handles on Warre containers as an alternative of the inset handles we recurrently see.
Throughout the containers are units of best bars. You are going to now not in finding removeable frames on this hive, the bees construct comb down from the straightforward picket best bars or wedges.
Warre hives are foundationless. The colony builds herbal comb with out using basis sheets of beeswax or plastic.
Duvet Field and Roof
One unique characteristic of the Warre hive is using a duvet field. Whilst those are from time to time used on Langstroth hives, they’re recurrently discovered at the Warre beehive.
The aim of the cover field is the act as an insulator. This is helping the bees within the hive regulative temperature and humidity throughout the chilly season. The roof protects the hive from climate and an opening within the roof lets in some hive air flow.
Hive Control
The entire Warre hive machine used to be constructed at the philosophy of simplicity. Warre sought after a machine that allowed the beekeeper to control the colony by way of the field somewhat than particular person frames.
Normally, the beekeeper provides a few new containers to the ground of the stack in early Spring and eliminates a few best containers filled with honey in Fall.
Warre hives are expanded by way of the method referred to as “nadiring”. A brand new field is added to the hive when the ground field is 80% complete. This is similar ratio maximum regularly given for when to upload some other field to another hive.
Benefits
It’s simple to peer the attraction of this hive control machine.
- fewer beehive portions to shop for and retailer
- small containers are lighter weight
- foundationless-a favourite of herbal beekeeping proponents
- does now not require numerous manipulation – controlled by way of the field – now not by way of the body
- aesthetic look
- lets in for steady rotation of brood frames
The Warre hive design carefully mimics the herbal nesting hollow space of untamed honey bees. It starts as a unmarried field with 8 picket best bars or wedges.
Bees construct comb down from the highest bars till the succeed in the ground of the field. Then, they go away a space of bee area and start to construct from the brand new best bars down.
The smaller sized containers aren’t as heavy – even if full of honey. And, let’s face it they do glance adorable!
Since the best containers are harvested, the older sheets of honeycomb are circled out of the hive. New comb promotes fitter bees.
Disadvantages
No hive is very best for each and every state of affairs and each and every beekeeper. The Warre hive has some disadvantages that you simply must pay attention to.
- restricted hive inspections
- attainable swarming
- much less honey manufacturing – no extraction
- extra heavy lifting
Acting fewer hive inspections might appear to be a just right factor – particularly within the warmth of Summer time. On the other hand, when you’ll now not see take a look at every body – how do you diagnose issues?
Searching for bee eggs, illness issues and even discovering your queen bee will not be conceivable with out tearing out some comb.
Because of the small field dimension, it’s conceivable that your colonies could also be extra vulnerable to swarming. After all, this can be a larger drawback in some breeds or kinds of honey bees however it’s nonetheless a priority.
Honey manufacturing in a Warre hive will usually be not up to that of usual Langstroth hives. Honey harvesting is completed by way of the field.
With out a frames to take away – honey extraction isn’t an possibility. The overwhelm and pressure means is maximum not unusual.
Preferably, you don’t want to govern your hive very regularly. However, when new containers are added to a Warre Hive, they’re added to the ground of the stack – now not the highest. This implies you need to transfer the entire best containers off and restack.
Because of a loss of basis with wires, new comb may be very comfortable within the Warre hive. The beekeeper will have to be very cautious when shifting the containers – particularly in sizzling climate.
Bees will connect comb to the sidewalls of the hive – because of a loss of a body. They’re going to additionally construct burr comb that attaches to the highest bars of the field underneath.
This comb will wish to be minimize sooner than manipulating the containers. A small cord (equivalent to a piano cord) will loose comb between the containers – a hive software can smash the seal of comb at the aspect partitions.
Comparability: Warre Hive vs. Langstroth Hive
Either one of those hives are utilized by beekeepers all the way through the sector to just right impact. Here’s a fast comparability of the 2.
Hive Design
Warre hives characteristic a extra cylindrical form with stacked sq. containers – whilst Langstroth supers are oblong. As an alternative of four sided removeable frames, Warre hives use best bars with out a added basis.
Hive Control
Warre hives are designed to emphasise minimum intervention. Beekeepers nadir (upload new containers to the ground) somewhat than examining from the highest down. This reduces disturbance to the colony.
Within the Langstroth hive, common hive inspections are the norm with some inspections requiring taking a look at particular person frames. Warre beekeepers have a extra hands-off way who prefer to control colonies with much less interference.
Widespread Books on Warre Beekeeping
FAQs
The philosophy of Warre beekeeping is to imitate the herbal habitat and behaviour of honey bees – whilst minimizing beekeeper disturbance.
Warre hives vary from Langstroth hives in numerous techniques. Their stacked containers are smaller and sq. as an alternative of oblong. They don’t use 4-sided frames however depend on best bars with out basis as an alternative.
Sure, you’ll harvest honey from a Warre hive. That is usually executed by way of harvest the highest field the place extra honey is saved.
Warre hive beekeepers regularly make use of herbal beekeeping how you can regulate pests and illness. This contains comb rotation, built-in pest control practices and selling wholesome bee genetics.
Warre hives aren’t in most cases utilized by industrial beekeepers. Langstroth hives are most well-liked because of their potency and higher honey manufacturing.
Beekeeping legislation range by way of location. Take a look at together with your native affiliation of agricultural company to grasp the foundations.
Ultimate Ideas
You are going to in finding many assets of beekeeping recommendation on-line and in print for the usual Langstroth beekeeping. If you happen to’re new to the Warre hive, it is rather essential to discover a native beekeeping affiliation with skilled Warre hive beekeepers (on your house – or equivalent local weather) for recommendation and improve.
Warre hive control prioritizes a much less invasive way in comparison to different hive varieties, with a focal point on offering bees with a habitat that carefully mimics their herbal residing stipulations. Common, non-disruptive inspections and a dedication to sustainable practices are key to effectively managing a Warre hive.
Assets