Comments on: Dealing With Varroa Mites In Warre Beehives

By: athynz

athynz — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:41:03 +0000

I would like to apply it next season, and i think it would be effective as i thought though its another expense. Thanks for the idea

By: Nick

Nick — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:23:57 +0000

Thanks Bioee, I agree and I do believe that mans constant interference play’s a big role but many conventional beekeepers split their hives which creates the brood break you mention and still have problems with mites. I think there’s more to the Warre that IMHO makes it more mite tolerant (better thermal control, under supering, natural comb) but that, of course, is just my personal opinion.

By: biobee (@biobee)

biobee (@biobee) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:37:00 +0000

I generally concur with David’s comments, but I still see no evidence that Warrés are any more ‘mite tolerant’ than TBHs or other hives, for that matter. If you practice ‘hands-off’ beekeeping and allow bees to swarm, the ensuing brood break will take care of a lot of mites, regardless of the hive used.
Some people have told me that they have had the same colony of bees in a Warré for 5, 6 even 7 years, which ‘proves’ that they tolerate mites, but what is really happening is that their hive swarms most years and re-queens itself in the process, while the mite population takes a dive because of the brood break. Not that there is anything wrong with this – it simply shows that if you do nothing – or virtually nothing – the bees can take care of themselves. It is the constant interference that conventional beekeepers indulge in that does the damage.

By: Nick

Nick — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:10:03 +0000

Thanks for the comments biobee, I don't know about "tolerating more mites" but even David Heaf believes the Warre is more tolerant to mites as per this letter he wrote to the American Bee Journal not too long ago : abj_letter_sep_2011

By: biobee (@biobee)

biobee (@biobee) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:37:52 +0000

If you want to get your bees to work their way into a Warré, you definitely want them to work downwards, back-filling above them. Queens will not move upwards over honey stores to start a new brood nest.
And I don’t see any evidence for Warré hives being able to tolerate more mites. David Heaf had heavy losses last winter.

By: conor

conor — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:18:27 +0000

warres dont allow bees to tolerate more mites, most other beekeepers treat their bees to keep mites at a lower level.

By: Nick

Nick — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 18:57:54 +0000

Hi Tina, I get asked quite often about a screened bottom board for the Warre, I’m working on a post that will show how to build one, I hope to have it done this winter when my day’s are not so full!

By: Tina

Tina — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 21:23:37 +0000

Hi everyone! Does anyone know where I could get plans to build my own screened bottom board for the Warre hive? There is one for sale at “The Warre Store.com” for $39.00 and they do not ship to Hawaii (where I am). It looks like a great design and my husband is a carpenter!
Thanks,
Tina

By: Nick

Nick — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:59:00 +0000

Hi Maggie, I posted a reply to this question here: http://thebeespace.net/2009/02/18/the-care-and-feeding-of-your-bees/