Poly hive musings.

[Poly Hive]

Err yes, try jumping on a fish box...lol

PH

[Bumble]

They all have problems with crown boards. In polyhives I only use CBs as feeder boards between the broodbox and an eke (a super). I do not like the wooden ones because I think they would create a cold bridge and, in any case, standard wooden CBs do not fit the MB hives. The the plastic ones are too slippery.

I found that wooden crown boards developed mildew, so stick with acrylic ones which double as feeder boards. A spare piece of acrylic covers the hole when it isn't being used.

Modern Beekeeping Lang Nucs are more dense poly than our Sqienty hives, I can't speak for MB's full size hives because we don't have any.

[Mellifera Crofter]

Modern Beekeeping Lang Nucs are more dense poly than our Sqienty hives, I can't speak for MB's full size hives because we don't have any.

The MB full-size hives are the same density as their Nucs - 'ultra, ultra dense' - that's what a person with a polystyrene factory told me. The new hive I've ordered (mentioned above) from Bee Hive Supplies in Cornwall arrived yesterday. I think it is just, or almost, as dense as the MB ones. Lots better than Paynes. My next hive will be a Swienty - then I can compare and contrast.

[gavin]

Agree about the mildewed ply crown boards. A wired, framed queen excluder is an alternative, as Fatshark uses with fondant on top at this time of year. The Swienty roof designed for top bee space (ie no rim, therefore gives a bee squashing a problem with a bottom bee space Swienty National box) demands some sort of intervention. I like the idea of acrylic crown boards with a rim - must give that a go. Can't see me ever needing to use a feed hole as the Swienty feeders are great and need access along a long strip rather than centrally. I've put these feeders over a wired frames excluder - I think at Murray's suggestion.

[prakel]

Modern Beekeeping Lang Nucs are more dense poly than our Sqienty hives, I can't speak for MB's full size hives because we don't have any.

The MB full-size hives are the same density as their Nucs - 'ultra, ultra dense' - that's what a person with a polystyrene factory told me.

Are not both of these brands meant to be made to +/- 100g per litre? If so, how is there a noticable difference?

[Bridget]

Interesting thread. I've been pondering same as I have 2 plywood CBs that got pretty mouldy looking plus a Perspex one which seems create more condensation so was meaning to get a replacement before it got too cold. The Perspex is on a Swienty poly at present.


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[fatshark]

Bridget
You should only get significant condensation on the underside of a perspex crown board if it has insufficient insulation above it ... mine have 2" of Kingspan and no condensation. I use them all year round with no problems. Two years ago - the properly cold winter (whilst acknowledging the West Midlands is not really cold when compared to Kingussie ) - the bees formed a flat pancake shaped cluster covering much of the underside of the perspex crown board, presumably the warmest part of the hive.

I've just sourced another sheet of perspex to build another half dozen over the winter ... at a fraction of the cost of the Thornes offerings.

[Bumble]

Are not both of these brands meant to be made to +/- 100g per litre? If so, how is there a noticable difference?

It's difficult to explain the difference. They're both good. I wouldn't swap my Swienty hives because they work and seem sturdy enough to withstand almost anything I could do to them. Same with the Modern Beekeeping nuc.

There is a difference when you see the two alongside each other, unpainted. It's probably the wrong sort of comparison, but if you can imagine two grades of MDF, with one made of finer particles than the other, but still the same 'weight' - they look almost the same, do the same job, but feel slightly different.

Bridget
You should only get significant condensation on the underside of a perspex crown board if it has insufficient insulation above it ... mine have 2" of Kingspan and no condensation.

I think, also, that any condensation on acrylic, perspex or polystyrene is availabel to the bees, and they drink it. An unsealed wooden crownboard will absorb any atmospheric moisture, which could be from bees themselves or from damp air getting into the hive.

[prakel]

There is a difference when you see the two alongside each other, unpainted. It's probably the wrong sort of comparison, but if you can imagine two grades of MDF, with one made of finer particles than the other, but still the same 'weight' - they look almost the same, do the same job, but feel slightly different.

Interesting observation. Just looking at the webpage photos of the two there's something 'sharper' about the Paradise offering but previously I'd put that down to an optical allusion created by the yellow plastic trim of the runners.

I'm going to try a few of the Paradise nuc boxes in the Spring -seems like a way of dipping a toe in without commiting to their full size boxes with that interlocking lip, at the same time I reckon on running a couple Swienty boxes primarily for cell raising -again an easy option as there're then no real issues of having 'odd' hives in the general run of things.

[greengumbo]

At least you can mix and match Swienty equipment with traditional wood national hives as the OUTSIDE dimensions coincide.The swienty feeders are great for feeding wooden National,Modern Beekeeping and Swienty hives.It will also sit on top of a Paynes although the Paynes hive bodies and supers protrude as they are dimensionally bigger on their outside dimensions.I've had the odd bee drown however in their excitement to reach the feed as they get pushed under the syrup by the press of bees above.They soon sort themselves out however and I recon the dead bees probably dont exceed 20.

Do the Swienty feeders fit on Modern beekeeping langstroths Grizzly ? Can you invert them to make an eke for fondant ? The ones supplied by MB dont invert