Just another couple of comments on the polys, having been through the bees in them again yesterday. Difficult to scrape off the propolis and brace comb without damaging the polystyrene, especially on the Paynes boxes. I have used a flat-type (stainless steel) hive tool all my beekeeping time. They really aren't suitable for working poly - you need to lever from frame to frame to lift one and not frame to any part of the box. Doubt if I'll ever get used to that. Third thing - no ridge to sit the frame lugs on, so it takes time and effort to avoid crushing bees underneath the frame lugs.

OK, bees may winter well and, after a delay in early spring, generally catch up and overtake colonies in wood. However some of those beekeepers with both types of boxes (Andrew said this on Saturday) welcome the spread in the swarming season and the spread in timing of the peak of colonies that you get when working different hive types. One type may catch a certain flow one year, the other type the next.