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Thread: Polystyrene Hives

  1. #11
    Administrator gavin's Avatar
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    Yes, there have been cases in polyhives. I remember there being early talk of landfill, but I know one who cleaned his in a hot bath of one of the sodas. Can't remember if Virkon is acceptable too - it has been discussed. I'm not sure whether there was a uniform policy or not but I can point you to the man to speak to if you are interested. I'll see him tomorrow night and I may ask him then if I remember.

    There is funding in place for a new co-op to build a sterilising plant locally. This will take boxes and frames from any beekeeper, sterilise them in a hot caustic soda bath, and replace the wax foundation. The idea with that is not to clean up individual cases but to remove background levels on comb and boxes and help operations run more or less disease-free in future. There should be advantages in terms of chalk brood, viruses and Nosema too, and consequently the health of stocks in general.

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    I'm still waiting to order my poly Nationals fron John Laidler.Still no news when they will be available.They should be painted externally with ACRYLIC based paints i.e Smooth Dulux Weathershield coloured to suit by your local paint stockist.John Mellis outside Dumfries uses poly hives in great number which is where I first saw them ,was impressed by their lightness and made the decision to change over to plastic myself.Modern Beekeepings website contains a lot of useful information about their use,sterilisation etc.etc.

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    Administrator gavin's Avatar
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    Does anyone paint the insides apart from the feeders?

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    Quote Originally Posted by gavin View Post
    Does anyone paint the insides apart from the feeders?
    No only inside the floors and roofs.

  5. #15

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    I think that it is a personal choice to paint the inside but from what I have read seen and discussed people don't ten too.

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    Administrator gavin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gavin View Post
    I'm not sure whether there was a uniform policy or not but I can point you to the man to speak to if you are interested. I'll see him tomorrow night and I may ask him then if I remember.
    Steve, I forgot to ask t'other Steve, Steve Sunderland, our lead bee inspector. However John Laidler's web site points to this very comprehensive document on sterilising hives. It discusses EFB and AFB and the options available for polystyrene hives. Our bee inspectors work closely with the team at FERA in York, so I would imagine they will follow the National Bee Unit on this.

    Gavin

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    Thanks Gavin

    I remember the Bee Unit recommending virkon S at one stage and other chemicals too. However, at least one bee inspector thinks that in time it will be shown that none of these treatments will be shown to be fully effective against the foulbroods as it's so difficult to clean thoroughly enough before using the sterilizing chemicals. Apparently the surface of the poystyrene is full of tiny fissures, especially after scraping, and the cleaning agents and chemicals can sometiems fail to penetrate them all.

    Rosie

  8. #18

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    Hi Jim,
    I agree 100% with your comments on poly hives.(we got them together)
    I have slightly modified my poly floors by enlarging the open area and fitting a larger area of mesh and I've made a very simple wooden underfloor to slide the varroa test board in.
    I would not buy another wooden hive. Having said that as you know I'm planning to make a Dartington, for the fun of it.
    BenB

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    Administrator gavin's Avatar
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    Welcome to the forum and it is great to see you posting Ben.

    I'll be seeing Murray McGregor tomorrow and I hope that by now his stock of Polyhive boxes will have been topped up by the expected delivery of roofs and floors. He charges £15 per unit (plus VAT), and so a 6-unit hive (floor, brood box, two supers, feeder, roof) is just £90 (£108 incl). I'm going to have a second brood box for each to help nuc raising.

    From what I hear from a number of beekeepers with reasonable numbers of wooden and polyhives, survival is much better in polyhives. I had always intended to try some at the association apiary, but given their reported success and also the weight issue (important for stocks that may be moved to the heather and also to a distant mating site) then I hope to have mostly polystyrene ones.

    I'll post pictures and experiences on the East of Scotland Apiary blog later.

    all the best

    Gavin

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    Gavin is this Murray the ITLD of the other forum?

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