Am I being ROBBED? Warre Top-Bar Hive. What do I do?

pegasusblack · August 07, 2021, 04:16:19 PM

Ok thanks for the advice! I've removed the top box this morning. So now I have just three on and my hive size is reduced. Everything looks normal inside-nothing is chewed and no serious debris anywhere. They began drawing comb in my third box but I can tell that they slowed in building it out since it doesn't look like it's moved along much since the last time I looked. The flow is probably low like you've all been saying.

I watched them for 20 minutes and didn't see any fighting. When I opened the hive to take a look between the boxes, they were very very well mannered. I'm very gentle and move slowly and deliberately. They didn't even care I was there and I think I can probably manage doing it without the thick gloves on.

My screen came today but I'm going to hold off on figuring out how to fit it. Not sure if I need it anymore.

If I was being robbed, I think they have it all under control for now.

When I got my nuc, the guy told me there were 6lbs of bees and a laying queen. I not sure if that's a lot but I didn't really lose very many when placing them in my hive.

pegasusblack · August 07, 2021, 04:22:44 PM

This was the nuc I got. I set them up for a day and fed them a little before transferring them to my hive.

pegasusblack · August 07, 2021, 06:25:42 PM

Tons of activity this afternoon. I think it could be orientation flights, maybe? I don't see any coming in with pollen.

What do you think? They should load in high def.

https://youtu.be/ruWCb38BblM

pegasusblack · August 07, 2021, 06:54:16 PM

https://youtu.be/0PtzRXqCjPk

The15thMember · August 07, 2021, 08:16:14 PM

Quote from: pegasusblack on August 07, 2021, 04:16:19 PM
Ok thanks for the advice! I've removed the top box this morning. So now I have just three on and my hive size is reduced. Everything looks normal inside-nothing is chewed and no serious debris anywhere. They began drawing comb in my third box but I can tell that they slowed in building it out since it doesn't look like it's moved along much since the last time I looked. The flow is probably low like you've all been saying.

I watched them for 20 minutes and didn't see any fighting. When I opened the hive to take a look between the boxes, they were very very well mannered. I'm very gentle and move slowly and deliberately. They didn't even care I was there and I think I can probably manage doing it without the thick gloves on.

My screen came today but I'm going to hold off on figuring out how to fit it. Not sure if I need it anymore.

If I was being robbed, I think they have it all under control for now.

When I got my nuc, the guy told me there were 6lbs of bees and a laying queen. I not sure if that's a lot but I didn't really lose very many when placing them in my hive.

Sounds great! I think you made the right choice removing that box.

Quote from: pegasusblack on August 07, 2021, 06:25:42 PM
Tons of activity this afternoon. I think it could be orientation flights, maybe? I don't see any coming in with pollen.

What do you think? They should load in high def.

That looks like orientation to me. Everybody flying casually in lazy circles or facing the hive. No one checking out cracks or tentatively testing the guard bees on the landing board.

Oldbeavo · August 11, 2021, 07:05:54 AM

6lb of bees and a queen is a package, not a nuc. IMO
To me a nuc has bees , brood and a queens, the issue with a Warre hive is that Langstroth frames don't fit.
So it is difficult to buy a nuc of bees for a Warre hive.

pegasusblack · August 11, 2021, 10:59:03 PM

Quote from: Oldbeavo on August 11, 2021, 07:05:54 AM
6lb of bees and a queen is a package, not a nuc. IMO
To me a nuc has bees , brood and a queens, the issue with a Warre hive is that Langstroth frames don't fit.
So it is difficult to buy a nuc of bees for a Warre hive.

Idk. It's just what the guy told me. There were 5 frames in the nuc box. You're right. They won't fit.

If I could do it over again I wouldn't bother ordering my bees through this person. I only had a small 6 inch by 6 inch section of capped brood and maybe 2 frames total had a 3 inch bar of capped honey. They were pretty barren. Certainly not the headstart I thought I was buying into.

My FIL set up the purchase. He wasn't expecting a nuc. When we told the guy we weren't sure how we'd get these into our Warre hive he acted like he had no idea what we were talking about. All in all, 3 out of 10 stars.

pegasusblack · August 11, 2021, 11:00:35 PM

We already drove over an hour to get them. We really had no choice I guess.

pegasusblack · August 11, 2021, 11:03:08 PM

This is what it was. I had already brushed the bees off I to my hive. You can see a frame that I tried to cut down to fit like my bars. There was hardly anything on the frames anyways. Waste of time.

The15thMember · August 11, 2021, 11:39:48 PM

Quote from: pegasusblack on August 11, 2021, 11:03:08 PM
This is what it was. I had already brushed the bees off I to my hive. You can see a frame that I tried to cut down to fit like my bars. There was hardly anything on the frames anyways. Waste of time.

Yeah, that comb does look pretty old, which is kind of crappy. Did you notice any open brood on the frames? It can sometimes be difficult for newbees to see eggs and young larvae on dark comb, so I'm just wondering if perhaps the comb wasn't as empty as you thought.

TheHoneyPump · August 12, 2021, 02:28:29 AM

.. OR the supplier knew the frames would not fit the Warre hive. So instead of providing valuable on frame resources that would just be wasted, he transferred that value into extra bees and supplied a nuc packed out with bees on basic throw away comb. 6lbs of bees is ALOT of bees. Waaay more than you would get in a standard package or nuc.
9 stars out of 10 to the guy for knowing what was actually needed and for adjusting the supplied product to suit the need and minimize wasted value.

FloridaGardener · August 12, 2021, 02:37:03 PM

AND you got a $15 plastic work box which is handy for stealing honey from the bees, or to do an emergency pre-swarm queen removal "shook swarm."

Glue a wood cleat in there, so the ears of your frame will hang on the other side. - Ta-da!

pegasusblack · August 12, 2021, 06:23:02 PM

Quote from: TheHoneyPump on August 12, 2021, 02:28:29 AM
.. OR the supplier knew the frames would not fit the Warre hive. So instead of providing valuable on frame resources that would just be wasted, he transferred that value into extra bees and supplied a nuc packed out with bees on basic throw away comb. 6lbs of bees is ALOT of bees. Waaay more than you would get in a standard package or nuc.
9 stars out of 10 to the guy for knowing what was actually needed and for adjusting the supplied product to suit the need and minimize wasted value.

Guy didn't know we had a Warre until we showed up. FIL didn't know he ordered a nuc, only that it was going to be 6lb of bees. Guy literally told us we're out of luck as he put my money into his pocket. Guy didn't give a bleep about us.

pegasusblack · August 12, 2021, 06:24:36 PM

I paid 230 for it. And the nuc was used with a crack in the corner. Dated last year with a sharpie and crossed off with a 2021 date. He didn't do me any favors