Snails in Poly hives.

At last the weather has improved two days sunshine and 19 degrees yippee. Anyway got to check hives for first time, out of ten hives all are alive some not doing so well but the queens survived the winter. One of the problems I noticed on three of the hives that are in poly hives they all had slugs inside but the wooden ones didn't any ideas why this should happen are the polys better at overwintering slugs, and how did the little S@@** get in, poly hive had only one small entrance. They will not be visiting any other hives. I like all wildlife but slugs just don't do it for me I cannot see what they contribute to my garden.

I find this every spring and I think, note not know think as titches they get in through the entrance then grow and find they are stuck. I just toss them out and they don't seem to have an adverse effect on the bees so not a major issue.

PH

Slugs in two poly hives and a cedar hive this year - and last year. They often feed on debris tha falls out of the mesh floor. Slug-longs probably enter the hive this way. I have not noticed any damage and they do not seem to get onto comb.

I had 3 slugs in one of my poly hives. That hive was the only one which wasn't on a stand so I've removed them and raised the hive a few inches. Not sure if it will help but see how it goes.

The problem is that Poly hives are warmer and less draughty than wooden ones, that is good for the bees in that they need less food to keep warm, but the adverse effect is that it become warm and humid and eventually that humidity condenses. In the wild, bees live in trees - and trees are not only good insulators, but unlike poly they absorb moisture. The downside, is that trees are always wet and whereas poly drives out, trees could make the hive too moist.

However, I've also noticed a design flaw on my poly (Paynes). There's an indent in the moulding, and whilst I've no evidence it has been happening, it seems possible that rainwater is coming down the side and then being funnelled into the hive through these dents. I'm planning to fill these in with filler.

The other problem is that there's a lip behind the metal runner support. If moisture gets in or it runs down to this area from condensing moisture, it just forms a pool and the slugs and snails seem to love this area. I don't think it's a lot of water - but over time it accumulates. So, I'm considering drill some small holes here and filling them with something absorbent to keep out the wind, but allow the water to escape.

However, the main reason for the snails is condensation because the warm moist air from the bees just sits in the house. One solution I'm considering, is to put a thick wooden board on the top (a little thicker than the poly sides) and then having an air flow over the top.

However ... all this is a bit hypothetical at the moment as I'm waiting for a new queen my queenless single colony and I'm not sure they will survive this year.