1st Winter beekeeper -Steve Crolla

[scrolla]

Hello beekeepers,
I'm Steve Crolla. I took the plunge earlier this year after my better half bought me a weekend beekeepers course in Stubbins near where I live in Ramsbottom near Bury, Greater Manchester.
I currently have 1 National hive which I'm trying to get them through their first winter. Following lots and lots of YouTube videos and book reading I think I'm getting more right than wrong. But March is till a way off.
The main reason for joining bee groups is to benefit from shared experience and intelligence. Sharing and reading what I find works and reading what other group members have experienced, good and bad, to avoid any pitfalls.
I'd like to find more out about condensation within hives, in particular, avoiding it at all costs.
I've downloaded a plan of building the WBC hive from this site (B posted it) and I intend to build and monitor the benefits (I do like the look of the WBC over the National) and any downside. My thinking is that in summer and winter that the double skin of the WBC hive will afford greater insulation from excessive cold, in winter, and excessive heat in summer. I'll share any observations that I have once I've built the hive.

 

[Sutty]

Welcome.
If you want better insulation a poly hive is an easier option, and easier to manipulate without the lifts of a WBC. The WBC does look nice though!

 

[Ian123]

Hi Steve have fun building your hive and if you have the skills for that you’ll have no problems with other boxes or hive types. The inner boxes are a little weak on WBC hives they’re considerably more expensive to buy, I’m also a little dubious on insulation benefits as the voids are not sealed with additional air vents. They do however shed rain and damp well. Poly as mentioned above is an obvious choice, but they’ve also increased considerably in cost recently. Thornes and maismores have winter sales on atm with a wooden brood box costing about £20-£23…good luck Ian

 

[Newbeeneil]

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[Newbeeneil]

Hello beekeepers,
I'm Steve Crolla. I took the plunge earlier this year after my better half bought me a weekend beekeepers course in Stubbins near where I live in Ramsbottom near Bury, Greater Manchester.
I currently have 1 National hive which I'm trying to get them through their first winter. Following lots and lots of YouTube videos and book reading I think I'm getting more right than wrong. But March is till a way off.
The main reason for joining bee groups is to benefit from shared experience and intelligence. Sharing and reading what I find works and reading what other group members have experienced, good and bad, to avoid any pitfalls.
I'd like to find more out about condensation within hives, in particular, avoiding it at all costs.
I've downloaded a plan of building the WBC hive from this site (B posted it) and I intend to build and monitor the benefits (I do like the look of the WBC over the National) and any downside. My thinking is that in summer and winter that the double skin of the WBC hive will afford greater insulation from excessive cold, in winter, and excessive heat in summer. I'll share any observations that I have once I've built the hive.

If you want WBC’s I would keep the outers and put a national inside. It does fit and it’s what I do for my clients. It has the advantage of a double skin and is 10% larger than the WBC inner.
If you wanted belt and braces you could put an Abelo poly in there!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Welcome Steve
The easiest way to avoid condensation it to put 50mm of Celotex...or suchlike...on the crown board under the roof. I keep poly and wood and all have a layer of insulation on top. The only place you'll get condensation is in the corners of the crown board and down the walls where it doesn't matter

 

[madasafish]

I run wooden langstroths- home made- with an all enveloping cover from 50mm insulation.
No condensation.
Ditto poly nucs .

WBCs look nice.
PIA to handle.

 

[Murox]

we always used to stuff the cavity on WBC with straw, hay or dried bracken in winter. I don't use them anymore now since the advent of good poly hives; but you cant really beat the beauty of naturally weather cedar wood hives, I miss that.

 

[Ian123]

I paid £50 for my first wbc inc bees and additional supers/lifts…Ended up with about 20 at one point all stripped back and 3 coats of paint. Then I developed a life

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

WBCs look nice.
PIA to handle.

 

[BeeAdmin]

Nice to have you here, Steve!
I don't have bees but I watch lots of beekeeping videos as well.
Welcome. Enjoy the forum and good luck.

 

[elainemary]

Hello beekeepers,
I'm Steve Crolla. I took the plunge earlier this year after my better half bought me a weekend beekeepers course in Stubbins near where I live in Ramsbottom near Bury, Greater Manchester.
I currently have 1 National hive which I'm trying to get them through their first winter. Following lots and lots of YouTube videos and book reading I think I'm getting more right than wrong. But March is till a way off.
The main reason for joining bee groups is to benefit from shared experience and intelligence. Sharing and reading what I find works and reading what other group members have experienced, good and bad, to avoid any pitfalls.
I'd like to find more out about condensation within hives, in particular, avoiding it at all costs.
I've downloaded a plan of building the WBC hive from this site (B posted it) and I intend to build and monitor the benefits (I do like the look of the WBC over the National) and any downside. My thinking is that in summer and winter that the double skin of the WBC hive will afford greater insulation from excessive cold, in winter, and excessive heat in summer. I'll share any observations that I have once I've built the hive.

Hi Steve and welcome. I’m not too far away from you (just over the border!). I have both WBCs and Polyhives. I like both. I chose WBCs for home as I liked the look of them and as I’m high up - figured like you they would give good protection in winter. You’re right they do stay cooler in summer too. I also find the lifts make a very useful hive stand when inspecting (just place any brood box / super off set on top of the lifts - I often use a spare crown board underneath too).

Re condensation, I have a square of Kingspan on the top of my clear crownboards. This stops any condensation dripping down onto the bees however some condensation around the edges (which I have) is useful in winter. Tom Seeley reckons bees are thirstiest in winter as they need some water to dilute honey stores and a little around the edges can be used for this and reduces the need for the bees to go out when it’s too cold. Any excess condensation around the edges simply rolls down the inside edges of the brood box / super) and doesn’t harm the bees

Happy to help with any questions on WBCs I’ve been using them for 6 seasons. Good look with your project
Elaine