any report back over winter beehaus

[MuswellMetro]

Has anyone done a first inspection on their Beehaus after first year of Use

Did they over winter OK, any problems?

did they leak?/damp?/condesantion,

Are the bees further on compared to wood or poly hive

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Hi All

I have just completed my first inspection of this year of any of my hives, including the beehaus, so as promised (and requested by MM) here goes.

Well, I have to say the beehaus was by far the most advanced of ALL of my national hives! Nearly ~8 frames of brood in all stages with a good 4/5 fully capped.

Another sign of there development was the brace comb built under the frames as I had transferred over last year Standard national brood frames.

As for the hive its self, no build issues at all, no condensation, no leaks.

In comparison I do insulate my std national hives, and all hives treated the same (i.e feed and Varroa treatments etc)

I am also pleased to report ZERO winter hive losses on my other hives, with all developing well and at a rate I would normally expect.

I nearly did loose a queen today though my error, they she got caught up in the fondant and only because I look I spotted her as I was about to bin it all!

On a personal note, I am planning to convert the beehaus to std national frames by adding a raised false mesh floor into the hive. The only reason is due to all my other hives being of the std national frames I do not wish to have an incompatible frame size.

Looking forward to a good 2010 year.

 

[victor meldrew]

I witnessed a barker on the omlet stand informing 2 young ladies of the necessity of using a fork lift truck to facilitate the removal of a full bs super !.
Naughty naughty .
A proven product requires no exaggeration !.

John Wilkinson

 

[Mike a]

would it be considered an exaggeration if I said you may need to remorgage your house to afford one

 

[oliver90owner]

MM,

after first year of Use

It won't have been around for a year until August! At least! Well, apart from being tested for at least the previous two years by many experts, if we actually believe all we are told.

My Dartingtons are well ahead of my Nationals, but they were both likely better insulated than the beehaus and there were no chances of leaks, condensation or even damp patches. The Dartingtons are better top-sealed than the beehaus (without extras added) and the insulation on the sides was likely as good, or better, too.

Both types are better suited, IMO, to the 14 x 12 frames as they are both designed to be over-wintered on a single frame depth (but it seems even the harsher winter this year was OK for the shallower standard frames), so that may not be an issue. Even Mr Dartington included shallow units in his range of hives.

I doubt they will be further advanced than a polyhive - those are probably better all round for wintering, but it is, after all, a slightly different concept for manipulations and as a beetainer it should be perfectly adequate (after all, the bees will certainly get more protection than that colony hanging against the window in Leicestershire/Warwickshire).

So as mooted above, we are back to cost effectiveness........

My hundred quid hives work just as well, if not better (we may well see, later in the year) than the plastic beetainer.

Regards, RAB

 

[oliver90owner]

MM,

Have you thought of asking omlette. They apparently had eight (I think) over-wintering and then there would be Johannes' and James' personal examples. Could try Robin Dartington as well - he has one - and, of course, there is always roblynmouth from the forum - he should have got his through the winter, after all the 'experts' intervened and helped him set up the hive properly.

Regards, RAB

 

[Chris B]

Well I had a very pleasant chat at the Omlet stand yesterday. The hive is fine and if I started beekeeping again I might consider one if it was cheaper - the beauty of moulded materials is the ability to mass produce at low cost so I think they are missing an opportunity to really take a big share of the hobby market.

 

[jezd]

Well I had a very pleasant chat at the Omlet stand yesterday. The hive is fine and if I started beekeeping again I might consider one if it was cheaper - the beauty of moulded materials is the ability to mass produce at low cost so I think they are missing an opportunity to really take a big share of the hobby market.

I did mention to them that their pricing and image targets the middle class and well off - they didnt agree but I do think this is true.

 

[BuzzWorker]

Jimbeekeeper said: 'I am planning to convert the beehaus to std national frames by adding a raised false mesh floor into the hive. The only reason is due to all my other hives being of the std national frames I do not wish to have an incompatible frame size.
I made two Dartington Long hives for standard frames some years ago, just to see how they go. The Long Deep system requires a hive 18ins deep when supered - or the hive volume is insufficient - so the honeyboxes were deepened to also take standard bs brood frames. Hive depth is then 9 + 9 = 18 , same as 12 + 6 = 18 for normal Dartington. The queen needs to have free access to both levels in spring to make a compact nest, not spread on to too many frames. After the nest has peaked, I rearrange the hive so all frames with brood are put on the lower level and only honey frames in the top boxes. as the nest dwindles from then on, the queen does not normally go up again - anyway, the super frames then have some honey in. The disadvantage of the Standard Deep hive compared to the Long Deep is that there are more frames occupied by brood, so it takes longer to check the nest. The advantage is that you can make up standard nucs for sale.
As Jim obviously already has some 14x12 frames for the beehaus, he could give those a bit longer trial before scrapping them and switching to all standard brood frames. And he will need to get a second set of shallow honeyboxes from Omlet (and use two rows on the hive) as honeyboxes for standard brood frames are not available. There will be a cost to conversion. Why not give the beehaus as dfesigned a bit more time?
I never understand the argument for using only one frame size in the apiary. It implies people intend to switch frames between hives - but that is now frowned on in a time when desiease control is more important. And trying 14x12 longer might result in converting all his standard Nats to Deep Nats!

Robin

 

[jimbeekeeper]

. And trying 14x12 longer might result in converting all his standard Nats to Deep Nats!

KISS - is my best motto, and how I do most things, and if it works and aint broke dont fix it.

We have just come through one of the hardest winters for a long time, and single std national hives have survived very well.

My main reason for sticking to the std national frames is not just compatibility between my hives, but fellow members for which I pass on nucs of "bees on frames"

It implies people intend to switch frames between hives - but that is now frowned on in a time when disease control is more important

My view is your apiary should be treated as one hive, to single out individual hives when it is known that both workers and drones freely switch hives is wrong.

Also the bee strain you use affects your operation of the hive, I would like to think my strains are as far away from these imported super bees and more closer to AMM (as a mongrel) than most. Giving a “strong” and climate adjusted bee, with slow but sure progression and predictable brood/swarm ability. Therefore not giving a million pounds of honey, but also not needing re-queening (with another import) every 5 minutes (but that’s another thread)

In changing to std frames I believe I am not compromising the beehaus design in terms (of my view ) of the plastic construction, insulation (double walled) or other minor features of the beehaus.

I might be going away from the Dartington design, but I suspect from your name (Robin) you might have a slight bias for it???

Will Omlet read this and take it on board, possibly? Will Omlet develop the beehaus to other designs (i.e national) possibly?

It is just a box after all!

 

[oliver90owner]

Hi Robin,

Welcome to the site.

Might be good to get some more sense into this Dartington/beehaus debate.

A lot think it is a double hive for the permanent keeping of two colonies, as you might have guessed from the omlette blurb that is churned out.

Some think it should perform markedly different from the wood version.

Some would just like educating in the matter.

I just trundle along with my Dartingtons and look and wonder how the plastic version will possibly operate in any ways superior to the DLDs. I daresay I will colonise it soon, but still those mods to do after taking it along to the local BKA apiary for the members and others to have a look.

They were impressed at the build-up of the colony I took down in a DLD last year, but no takers to make their own - well, not that have admitted to it!

Regards, RAB