Swienty vs Abelo poly

Erichalfbee said:

Why would they? They would go for top or bottom just like wooden box manufacturers give an option.

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Top bee space national hives ? Someone sells them ?

SDM said:

Top bee space national hives ? Someone sells them ?

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https://www.thorne.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=5120

SDM said:

Top bee space national hives ? Someone sells them ?

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Where have you been?

Swarm said:

Where have you been?

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Making my own( or using poly), but I'd never noticed a top bee space option

Another order came though from Abelo several days ago..Perfect is all i can say.

Modern beekeeping does a top beespace but I don't think they do a 14 x 12

Millet said:

Another order came though from Abelo several days ago..Perfect is all i can say.

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Perfect in every respect save for the crown board. But it’s no problem replacing it with a wooden one.

Use some long plasterboard screews to keep the inserts in place. You now have insulated crwonboard, remove you have travel screen. And you can fit a rhombus escape underneath if required. Versatile bit of kit.

I'm disappointed with the Swienty brood which doesn't seem to be holding up well (it was this day last year I put the bees in it), before I took it away the bees had chewed the thin top of box so it has became very thin. Might be relegated to a bait hive.

I will be placing another order for an Abelo hive soon, despite being more expensive they have some nice features which I think makes them worth it.

As for the crown board, I would prefer it if it only had one centre hole as Beefriendly pointed out they are versatile and I've also used it to place fondant in the roof which has a space and lets the bees get up into it. I might however buy a spare board as I would like to make a transparent crown board from it with the centre hole... unless someone really hates theirs and wants to sell it to me cheap.

thorn said:

Perfect in every respect save for the crown board. But it’s no problem replacing it with a wooden one.

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I never buy full hives, i choose to buy parts separately as and when i need them, i make my own floors and crown boards so i have no idea what Abelo types are like, i can imagine them being good though..

Took a picture of the Swienty brood box earlier, this has had about 10 months use.

Angry_Mob said:

Took a picture of the Swienty brood box earlier, this has had about 10 months use.

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I've had the same with mine. Infuriating. I like the rails on this design but the curved thin top edge is worse than the previous design. I think they chew through where light can shine through the poly. I tried painting the interior walls with a dark colour but that doesn't seem to help.

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IT looks that plastic mixture is too soft. Whose fault is that? IT should not be any more in these days. It is a little bit like accident in polystyrene factory. I have met the same 15 years ago in another company.

Frame pictures in the wall? No free space there. Frame is not proper size or not rectangular ?

I have 10 Swienty poly Langston hives and have a similar thing happening to them.

What about Paradise Honey from Modern Beekeeping?

I have two Swienty 14X12 BB's running for two years now and honestly I see no difference in over wintering, build up, and working them. It might be a different story if I lived further North.
Would I buy another, probably not as I like cedar hives because they are east to scorch clean and are of a robust nature

tidymeup said:

I have 10 Swienty poly Langston hives and have a similar thing happening to them.

What about Paradise Honey from Modern Beekeeping?

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I have Paradise honey boxes lots. No problem with material. Woodpeckers are problem. They make holes, if I do not protect hives..

I bought some Abelo poly hives in April and I love them. Hard plastic frame runners and top and bottom edges are great, propolis scrapes clean off.
The crown board has 5 circular vents and in the heat this last few weeks I thought I would remove 3 as the bees were fanning quite strongly at the entrance even though they are on open mesh floors. Removing supers today I noticed they are doing their level best to seal up the vents in the CB. Maybe they are getting ready...…….WINTER IS COMING.....

mickbees23 said:

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The crown board has 5 circular vents and in the heat this last few weeks I thought I would remove 3 .....

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When we use mesh floors, we do not keep upper holes in the hive.

Abelo says that crown board has ventilation holes, but but.... Such makes chimney effect and bees control over interrior cooling will be spoiled.

Finman said:

When we use mesh floors, we do not keep upper holes in the hive.

Abelo says that crown board has ventilation holes, .

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Yes and they also come with poly inserts to put over these holes so you do not get a chimney effect. A long plasterboard screw holds them in place. Ready made travel screen when moving bees...just remove inserts.

mickbees23 said:

... Removing supers today I noticed they are doing their level best to seal up the vents in the CB. Maybe they are getting ready...…….WINTER IS COMING.....

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They add propolis to those vent grills whether or not the round polystyrene plugs are in place or not. It’s a convenient place to store propolis.