# I'm so excited!



## ChocolateMouse (Jul 31, 2013)

I'm getting bees this year! This is my first foray into the world of bees and I'm extremely nervous and excited! Bees spook me a little, but I really want to keep them. I have a friend who has been keeping bees for several years now, to help me out as well, so I'm not completely lost.

My beau and his mother have purchased a hive for me that should be arriving in a couple of weeks. I have spent the whole last year reading up on beekeeping and after careful consideration I chose to get a red cedar warre hive for the following reasons;


I want healthy pollenaters first and foremost
I want my own honey but I don't need a lot of honey
I want wax as much if not more than I want honey
I like the concept and possible benefits of allowing the bees to build their own combs which makes a top bar hive great, but....
I don't like that I may end up destroying brood and can't use some classic beekeeping techniques (like queen separators and swarm stoppers) in a normal top bar, so a warre seems like a great option
I don't need any special equipment to harvest the honey and wax in a warre hive
I've heard that cedar helps with preventing intruders, plus it just holds up longer

Because MIL ordered it, I don't know if I'll be getting a screened bottom or not or if it'll have viewing windows but I think the answers are yes and no. We'll just have to wait and see.

Now I'm picking out a nuc and trying hard to look for something that comes from my climate (northeast Ohio) as opposed to California. I found someone who overwinters in NY and may be going with their nucs. I also have to decide where in my lawn it's going to be put. I'm really looking forward to this!

I guess I don't have a whole lot of questions but...

I'd love to hear your top advice to new beekeepers, especially if you raise in warre hives. Especially things that you won't normally hear or what you wish you had known before you started.

What's the best way to prevent or manage swarming in a warre hive? I know it happens more often than in langstroths. Is it possible to use this to my advantage by careful observation and a swarm lure to split my hive or for parasite prevention?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the concept of an eco floor. I live in a cold, snowy environment with a high water table, so it seems like it might work well here, but I have no idea. There's very little information on it and no real studies.

I'd love to hear your advice for overwintering hives, especially in our volatile climate. In spring and fall it can easily jump from 30 to 60 in a matter of 36 hours. My friend has lost multiple hives due to swarming in those conditions.

What should I plant in my bee garden? Are there any plants I should consider growing directly around my hive?

Thanks!


----------



## kyweaver (Nov 30, 2009)

I can't offer any help, because we're only in our first winter with bees. We didn't go with a Warre, but a horizontal foundationless Langstroth. So we'll get the same honey/wax thing. 
I'll be reading any responses you get!


----------



## Steve in PA (Nov 25, 2011)

Congrats, it's exciting! Cannot speak from experience but I have read that top-bar hives are meant for cold weather. I'm sure Alleyooper will be along soon to share some experience.


----------



## ed/La (Feb 26, 2009)

Warre hives low-maintenance hive design. Easy to make your frames. Here is my advice.
Join local bee club. Learn basic wood working skills so you can safely make your 
own boxes. Do not go in your hives every day. Every week or two unless you have to do something. Put some swarm boxes out. 
Work your way up to several hives. Hives die so you need more then one. You do not need a fancy suit but a 
nice hood is important. Try to keep it cheap. You will get used to bee stings, less pain after a while. Looking forward to hearing about your success.


----------



## ChocolateMouse (Jul 31, 2013)

Thanks, ed/la! I was hoping that Warre would prove to be a more hands-off approach, tbh. Like I mentioned before, bees spook me a little so I'm going to try to only go in if I think I need to. I have solid woodworking skills... I built my chicken coop and rabbit hutch on my own. I feel like I can probably make a wooden box with some top bars with relative ease... A swarm box sounds like a great idea. I may put one of those together and see if I can catch a local swarm before bee ordering season happens.

My local bee club is on the other side of the city from me, but I'm thinking of trying to sign up for their February beekeeping lessons. If I can get to them, I'm gonna go.

Got stung in the wrist by a bumble bee two years back. Hurt like cluck for a few hours, but I was all better by nightfall. So at least no bee allergies.


----------



## ed/La (Feb 26, 2009)

My local bee club meets once a month and has a few bee yard lectures. $10 a year, Gives access to full time beekeeper for questions or emergency problems. Meet some like minded people to make friends with.They also get some calls for bees in peoples wall, swarms hanging from tress etc. If you are in the right spot at the right time you get some free bees. My swarm season starts in march months before yours. I might make a few videos and keep a running count of what I catch.


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Top bar hives were designed for Kenya and why they are some times called Kenya hives. They work OK in warm climates I've heard.

Rest I know nothing about we run nothing but Lanstroth hives, We also do not wear a bee suit. Just a long sleeve light colored shirt Long legged jeans and a helmet with veil. 

Won't put up with a cranky hive and will kill the queen quick and install an new queen.

 Al


----------



## tom j (Apr 3, 2009)

Each bee has there own sting ,,,, you normally are only allergic to one type of bee sting ..


----------



## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

The bees in your community thank you. Go team! Lots of good supporters her. I found someone interested in hiving the farm with a bright white new Top Bar Hive that I enjoy seeing every day. It is not mine but I get to learn and watch bees be bees. Sometimes from the barnyard. Some times right up close. Good luck. You have lots of good supporters here.


----------



## Steve in PA (Nov 25, 2011)

Steve in PA said:


> Congrats, it's exciting! Cannot speak from experience but I have read that top-bar hives are meant for cold weather. I'm sure Alleyooper will be along soon to share some experience.


I reread what I posted and again the keyboard bit me...should have been

"I have read that top-bar hives are *not* meant for cold weather"

Alleyooper's comment got me to reread my post.


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

This morning as I walk by the bee hives I look across the path and see Korean box woods. We had one when we first started keeping bees and found out it is a early bloomer about when the P ussy willows bloom. Also Sedum Autumn Joy is a late bloomer and provides a boost in the late fall nectar gathering. 

 Al


----------



## ChocolateMouse (Jul 31, 2013)

Steve, Warre hives aren't quite a classic top bar. They are shaped about like a langstroth and can even take langstroth supers if you just want more honey. They just have top bars instead of frames and a few other small design differences. They seem ideal for what I want. I didn't think classic top bars looked very good for my situation.


----------



## kyweaver (Nov 30, 2009)

We're using an unusual hive too. It's a horizontal Langstroth: the dimensions of a standard deep, but with 34 frames instead 10. Hopefully, it will be the best of both worlds, no lifting, foundation less (used mostly frames with no foundation plus a few top bars), and plenty of space. We'll see...
Only problem so far is the design of the lid we made makes it difficult to put on feeders and candy.


----------

