A heather moor video

[Poly Hive]

Featuring Nigel Robertson son of my first mentor.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GC5cd2aReg&feature=youtu.be


PH

 

[B+.]

Featuring Nigel Robertson son of my first mentor.

What a super video and a beautiful spot

 

[wightbees]

What are those frames they are using? The white one seems to look plastic? And there's another type which has what looks like split top rail? Only ask as I have only ever used the standard type.

 

[B+.]

What are those frames they are using? The white one seems to look plastic? And there's another type which has what looks like split top rail? Only ask as I have only ever used the standard type.

Probably Pierco. They do them in both black (so you can see larvae in the brood area) and white (Langstroth deep & medium dimensions)
The split top bar has a slit (made by running a top bar along the table saw) so a starter strip of foundation can be slid down and just folded over the top bar - no need for nailing. Willie Robson at Chain bridge honey farm (https://www.chainbridgehoney.com/) uses this system on colonies going to the heather (good for cut comb)

 

[mbc]

Nice video, thanks for posting.

 

[Plenty of honey]

Yes lovely Video, another place where we need a like button. I do wish we had a heather crop here.

 

[Millet]

Brilliant Video PH i will be putting one or two on the heather next year and that has spurred me on even more to go ahead and try it.

 

[Into the lions den]

What are those frames they are using? The white one seems to look plastic? And there's another type which has what looks like split top rail? Only ask as I have only ever used the standard type.

The white ones are indeed Pierco full frames....they are one piece including the foundation.

The split top bar ones are a normal Lang deep, *probably* from some of the inexpensive continental makers. They are cross wired as normal (or the ones I have seen are) and take full sheets of unwired wax. The split top bar ones usually have a thinner topbar which makes for a marginally larger comb area.

 

[Beefriendly]

. I do wish we had a heather crop here.

Isn't there heather (or heath-land) around Nantes on the West coast?
Perhaps taking migratory beekeeping a few kilometers too far?

 

[Millet]

Isn't there heather (or heath-land) around Nantes on the West coast?
Perhaps taking migratory beekeeping a few kilometers too far?

Mine will be going more than a few kilometers, more like 120+ mile but needs must..

 

[Plenty of honey]

Isn't there heather (or heath-land) around Nantes on the West coast?
Perhaps taking migratory beekeeping a few kilometers too far?

There is a little, , some near Cap Frehel near me, but and its a big BUT,, everybody and their dog goes to the one site. Its not huge say a few hundred acres and its hopelessly over populated with hives. So it has to be an exceptional flow (crappy weather in June and july)to get anything at all. not worth it in my mind!! may be when i have enough hives and say 40 to take there as an an experiment!

 

[Beefriendly]

There is a little, , some near Cap Frehel near me, but and its a big BUT,, everybody and their dog goes to the one site.

Yes....big problem. Happens here on the North Yorks moors, there is a big communal site in the middle of the moors which yields little heather honey per hive, yet many insist on going there.

 

[Plenty of honey]

Yes....big problem. Happens here on the North Yorks moors, there is a big communal site in the middle of the moors which yields little heather honey per hive, yet many insist on going there.

Not to mention what they bring with them in their hives. i heard one year about 40% got foul brood post harvest! terrible management! ( but thats only what i was told ) may be completely wrong!

 

[Beefriendly]

One of the potential problems of communal or association sites. I avoid them like the plague.

 

[wightbees]

Thanks ITTLD ,B+
I have tried starter strip cut into top frame as you say B+ although not sure I'll bother doing it that way again. Those split top bars don't really look like you'll gain much, looks like more work making them to be honest.

 

[B+.]

Those split top bars don't really look like you'll gain much, looks like more work making them to be honest.

Probably so. I was just reporting something I learned at Chain Bridge

 

[Poly Hive]

They are an old design of frame probably 50 years ago or so.

PH

 

[B+.]

They are an old design of frame probably 50 years ago or so.

PH

It makes sense if materials were more expensive. Today, labour costs are higher so it makes more sense to use full sheets of foundation.

 

[Poly Hive]

Nigel's father Hamish was my mentor for many years. He built up their bee operation whilst working full time for the Hydro board.

He was the first BF in the UK to realise the potential of poly and some of the polyhives you see in the video are at least 35 years old.

PH

 

[wightbees]

They still using them there B+ ?