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Warre Hive Hut?

 
Posts: 33
Location: Livingston, MT (Zone 4B)
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Good Day,
I'm interested in starting keeping bee's and I had a few questions.  I'm interested in Warre Hives from the standpoint of bee happiness / lack of messing with the bees.  I'm looking primarily for pollination / personal enjoyment with the benefit of some random honey on occasion.  I've seen many posts about bee huts, but they always seem to be with a Langstroth hive under said hut.  Since the Warre hive has a roof with vent and a quilt box built into the hive i was wondering if there is any benefit to putting them under a constructed shelter.  I'm planning on putting the hives dispersed around ~20 acres directly under some trees (to shade from summer sun), and was thinking to build a small (4-6' tall) north wind wall to shield from north winds in the winter (zone 5a).  Just for reference I am also planning on putting in a three season flower garden around each hive, and randomly around the rest of the property.  I added the worlds worst picture (ever created) to sort of show the idea i'm thinking of.  (please note that even though the picture shows it, the tree would not be to the South...it would be to the West (due West), and the hugel bed would be 120 degree wrap around on the North side, and covered in useful plants for bees.)  So back to the heart of the question.  
1.  Does a Warre Hive benefit from a hut?
2.  Would a hut be more beneficial than the tree / hugel combo?
3.  Assuming the answers to both those questions is no, is there anything else that should be included in a bee haven?
Thank you for your time,
Colter
Warre-Hive-Shelter.png
[Thumbnail for Warre-Hive-Shelter.png]
Warre Hive Shelter
 
steward
Posts: 3701
Location: woodland, washington
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I like your plan. I did build a sort of hut for my Warré hives, but I don't think I would do it again. putting hives close together increases mortality through horizontal transmission of pathogens and parasites, which greatly hinders adaptation. so to get the benefit of a shelter without those drawbacks, each hive would need it's own shelter. that doesn't strike me as a good use of resources. changing the construction of the hive itself would give most of the advantages of a hut, and arrangements like what you describe would cover the others.

flower gardens around the hives: if you like the look and feel of flowers there, go for it. bees don't tend to forage much directly outside their hives, though. could be because that's where they shit the most. 20 acres might sound like a lot, but planting forage anywhere in that area will be much the same as anywhere else for a bee. until you're up above several miles for them to get to forage, it just won't make a difference.
 
tel jetson
steward
Posts: 3701
Location: woodland, washington
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I would also add that getting hives up off the ground by 18" or more is advantageous in climates where excessive dampness could be an issue for the colony. a hut would accomplish this, but so would a much smaller and simpler hive stand.
 
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Posts: 3694
Location: Gulf of Mexico cajun zone 8
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What he said ... plus ... A hut couldn't hurt but isn't necessary for a well built hive. Wouldn't bother unless you live in extreme conditions. Tree cover works for mine. If you're worried about high winds knocking them down (or deer as I once discovered) secure them together & down with straps.
 
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