Harvesting honey from a Warre hive is a process best performed at dusk to minimize bee activity and disruption. The procedure involves lightly smoking the hive, removing the uppermost boxes one at a time, and clearing the bees from these boxes either by allowing them to evacuate naturally or by brushing them off individual combs before moving the harvest indoors.
Core Takeaway Before harvesting, you must ensure the colony has sufficient stores—typically 2-3 full boxes—to survive the winter. Honey is rarely taken during the first season; harvest the top box in the fall (around September) only if the lower boxes remain plentifully stocked.
Assessing Colony Readiness
The First Season Rule
Do not expect to harvest honey during your Warre hive's first season. The colony needs this time to establish infrastructure and build reserves.
Overwintering Requirements
A Warre hive typically requires 2-3 boxes full of honey to overwinter successfully. You must verify these lower boxes are full before removing any top boxes.
Timing the Harvest
The ideal time to harvest is in the fall, generally around September. This allows you to assess the full extent of the colony's winter stores before removing the surplus.
Step-by-Step Harvesting Procedure
1. Preparation and Calming
Begin the process at dusk. Apply one or two puffs of smoke at the hive entrance and wait one full minute for the bees to calm down.
2. Box Removal
Remove the top boxes of the hive one at a time. In a Warre hive management system, the honey is typically harvested from the very top, as bees move downward over time.
3. Clearing the Bees: Method A (Evacuation)
Place the removed boxes on their sides, roughly 5 to 10 feet away from the hive. Allow time for the bees to naturally evacuate the box and return to the main hive.
4. Clearing the Bees: Method B (Brushing)
If your hive setup allows for removable combs, you can take them out individually. Gently brush the bees off the comb and immediately place the comb into a sealed container or move it indoors to prevent robbing.
5. Clearing the Bees: Method C (The Bee Escape)
Alternatively, place a bee escape board between the honey boxes you intend to harvest and the brood boxes below. Over time, bees will exit down through the one-way escape but cannot return, clearing the upper boxes for a strictly bee-free harvest.
Processing the Honey
Checking Moisture Levels
Before processing, ensure the honey is ripe. The moisture content should be under 18.5% to prevent fermentation during storage.
The Crush-and-Strain Method
If your Warre hive uses top bars without frames, this is the most common method. Cut the comb away from the bars, crush it to release the honey, and strain it to remove wax and debris.
Spin Extraction
If your hive utilizes frames, you may uncap the wax cells and use a centrifugal extractor to spin the honey out. This preserves the comb for reuse, provided the wax is not damaged.
Understanding the Trade-offs
Harvest vs. Survival
The most critical error is over-harvesting. Taking honey from a hive that has not filled its bottom 2-3 boxes puts the colony at severe risk of starvation during winter.
Equipment Requirements
While spin extraction preserves drawn comb, it requires specialized machinery. Crush-and-strain requires no expensive equipment but forces the bees to rebuild wax comb next season, which consumes significant energy and honey resources.
Making the Right Choice for Your Goal
To ensure a successful harvest that respects the colony's needs, apply the following guidelines:
- If your primary focus is colony survival: Leave the honey alone during the first year and always prioritize leaving 2-3 full boxes for winter stores.
- If your primary focus is pure, low-tech harvesting: Utilize the crush-and-strain method, which requires no heavy machinery and works perfectly with the fixed-comb nature often found in Warre hives.
- If your primary focus is a calm harvest: Utilize a bee escape board a day in advance to clear the super of bees without the chaos of brushing or open-air evacuation.
Successful beekeeping is about managing resources so that your harvest never comes at the expense of the colony's future.
Summary Table:
| Harvesting Step | Key Action | Important Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Preparation | Smoke entrance at dusk | Wait 1 min for bees to calm |
| 2. Removal | Take boxes from the top | Ensure 2-3 boxes remain for winter |
| 3. Clearing Bees | Evacuate, brush, or use escape | Prevent robbing by moving honey indoors |
| 4. Processing | Crush-and-strain or spin | Moisture must be below 18.5% |
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