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Thread: Wooden or Poly hives ?

  1. #1

    Question Wooden or Poly hives ?

    Hi everyone, I have as some of you will know been trying out some poly hives (paradise BEEBOX hives) to be exact. I decided today as the weather was good to check on the 4 hives that I have at my new apiary, I have taken a video to show the results and I was very surprised at what I seen.
    Anyway here is the video of my findings so far, the video shows that the 2 wooden hives that were the strongest out of the 4 hive when put to the heather are way behind in covering the frames, maybe this is normal ? im not sure as im new to this!!.
    All I can see is that the bees in the paradise BEEBOX hives are doing a lot better.


  2. #2
    Administrator gavin's Avatar
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    In general, yes, bees in polyboxes build better. There are of course other factors other than strength. I'd wager that your wooden Nationals were holding back from brood rearing in July whereas your warmer poly boxes may have carried on. Then the poly boxes would be poised to expand more now, no matter what, and would be in a better position now to bring home the goodies.

    Nice to see the activity in the supers though. Fingers crossed for no frost and a continuation of the heather season well into a particularly warm September ....

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    Quote Originally Posted by gavin View Post
    In general, yes, bees in polyboxes build better. There are of course other factors other than strength. I'd wager that your wooden Nationals were holding back from brood rearing in July whereas your warmer poly boxes may have carried on. Then the poly boxes would be poised to expand more now, no matter what, and would be in a better position now to bring home the goodies.

    Nice to see the activity in the supers though. Fingers crossed for no frost and a continuation of the heather season well into a particularly warm September ....
    Hi Gav, thanks for your comments that I will take them onboard. I think that personally for me the poly hive will be the way to go for me, but it's still early days yet I have the winter to get over yet.
    Yes seeing them in the super working away like that is very rewarding but again these are very small hives as I got them late in the season!! I have high hopes for 3 of them if I can get them through the winter all ok....
    I will of course keep this thread up to date with videos of their development over the next month as for the weather, if the forecast is anything to go by and does not change to much I should be ok (fingers and everything else CROSSED)

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    Administrator gavin's Avatar
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    They certainly winter well in poly too. C4U has been a great proponent of them and has a huge number of colony years experience.

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    Quote Originally Posted by gavin View Post
    They certainly winter well in poly too. C4U has been a great proponent of them and has a huge number of colony years experience.
    Hi Gav, yes I am steering more to the poly hives now, just the condensation part that I am a bit concerned about BUT I think I may have an answer for that a mod for the beebox hives.
    I will try and get some of that years of experience from C4U if I can at some stage .
    Something dawned on me this morning the 2nd hive in the video was a good strong hive but not taking in much honey! I am wondering now has that hive swarmed on me ??? I think I am going to check today to see what is happening with that one!

  6. #6

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    Just checked on the hive and did an inspection of the brood box and all is ok they have not swarmed, but they are not as full as I thought! Hummmm.... they still have room in the brood box for stores so that is were most of the heather honey is going. O well at least they will have that for overwintering and there not that bad a bees as there trying to give me some as well I suppose!

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    Senior Member Mellifera Crofter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gwizzie View Post
    Hi Gav, yes I am steering more to the poly hives now, just the condensation part that I am a bit concerned about BUT I think I may have an answer for that a mod for the beebox hives. ...
    What 'mod' do you have in mind?
    Kitta

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mellifera Crofter View Post
    What 'mod' do you have in mind?
    Kitta
    Hi Kitta,I am thinking of trying it out this weekend So will report back, but it's just drilling a hole through the side wall of the top and then drilling down through the top to meet it then covering holes outside and inside with mesh that way the hive has ventilation at the top of the hive.

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    Quote Originally Posted by gwizzie View Post
    Hi Kitta,I am thinking of trying it out this weekend So will report back, but it's just drilling a hole through the side wall of the top and then drilling down through the top to meet it then covering holes outside and inside with mesh that way the hive has ventilation at the top of the hive.
    Excellent videos and quality. I wouldn't mod them to be honest. I have never had an issue with poly condensation and they are designed in Finland by real experts. I do get condensation sometimes but it does not seem to do any harm. I've had poly bee box now for three years and they winter extremely well even on my windy and cold site

    I moved two 6 frame nucs into full sized beebox langs about a week ago and all frames drawn and getting stores in. Not sure about my heather ones as its a 4 hour round drive and I'm buggered if I'm doing that until they are ready to bring home !

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by greengumbo View Post
    Excellent videos and quality. I wouldn't mod them to be honest. I have never had an issue with poly condensation and they are designed in Finland by real experts. I do get condensation sometimes but it does not seem to do any harm. I've had poly bee box now for three years and they winter extremely well even on my windy and cold site

    I moved two 6 frame nucs into full sized beebox langs about a week ago and all frames drawn and getting stores in. Not sure about my heather ones as its a 4 hour round drive and I'm buggered if I'm doing that until they are ready to bring home !
    Hi Thanks for the comment, humm think I will take on board what you're saying and wait to see how I get on with them, as you have said there designed by real experts. I do like these hives mine are national and thank you for your kind words about the videos just used my Iphone on that one but others are filmed with a GoPro 4 silver great bit of kit.

    The reason I film everything is that I can review the footage again and again and again were as my memory isn't what it used to be and I find that this helps also I can use it to refer back to if needed.

    I have areas up here that i have secured for next year for the heather both bell and ling but not sure if one super would be enough and if not how would you know that it needed more if you dont visit ?? just asking....

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