Beehaus design as per National Standard?

[jimbeekeeper]

Imagine the Omlet team had made the beehaus along the line of the BS national hive?

ALL parts inter changeable, and expandable to 14x12 if wanted, but with the advantage of the beehaus (plastic, insulation, and other features)

And the price was about £90 for one hive inc, QX, supers cover board etc (basiclay a hive excluding frames and foundation)

What’s your view now?

 

[taff..]

Possibly, I've been looking at Poly Nationals as an alternative so Omlet could fall into the same sort of category.

my biggest concern is disease and sterilisation, I know you answered that question the other day but I'd be paranoid about it and I wouldn't be able to have a bonfire as I would with wooden nationals

what are the other features that you mention?

 

[JCBrum]

I'd probably stick with the guys who have been making them for the last 50 yrs or so, because they only charge £80 - £90 for the utility grade cedar wooden ones, and a bit less for pine.

Failing that I'd go for Swienty poly langs or Something like that.

At least the development work has already been done.

JC.

 

[rourkie]

they didnt do that they went for a design that is not popular ,in a lot of cases not practical to use because of it size. in nature bees like to construct their nests verticaly.I personaly dont care about the hive ,designs come and go some stay for years others are a flash in the pan ,the interest created in beekeeping i think is great and the more people we can encourage the better unfortunatley they havent introduced beekeeping to people very well, and beesbob or whoever is a prime example of how not to start. i bet he didnt by his bc and cylinders and jump in without instruction he would have drowned. and by the way there was a plastic national hive produced that was interchangable it was not polystyrenei had them in the 1980's regards jim

 

[JCBrum]

I'm not too sure how relevant it is to your question, but I know beeks who won't buy anything.

Part of the satisfaction for them is to salvage and re-furb unwanted hives and work with local swarms and splits etc.

After all for many amateurs beekeeping is a fascinating 'craft', and do we really need "Weapons Grade" beehives ?

 

[Frisbee]

I'm not too sure how relevant it is to your question, but I know beeks who won't buy anything.

I know one who won't buy varroa treatment but insists on using manky old tea bags instead

Frisbee

 

[rourkie]

do t he tea bags work ?, regards jim

 

[Frisbee]

I know one who won't buy varroa treatment but insists on using manky old tea bags instead

Frisbee

With an oil/thymol mix soaked in...........

Are you asking me Rourkie? or the one who uses the tea bags? I should think they do.........I had trouble pegging them on the line to dry so used oasis instead..............

Frisbee

 

[JCBrum]

I given up economizing, as you said Fris, - 'life's too short', I thought hang the expense, I'll use new tea-bags ! they work great. 99p per 100.

I mix up thymol and oil in a coffee jar and pop in the appropriate no of tea-bags and leave them to soak it up. It works a treat.

 

[JCBrum]

For beginners, costings are 100gms Thymol about £4 and will do 8 hives

Same quantity Apiguard is about £50 inc pp.

I think there's a sticky thread on making the thymol/oil mix, Frisbee will tell you all about it, she's the 'forum police'

 

[OXFORDBEE]

....by the way there was a plastic national hive produced that was interchangable it was not polystyrenei had them in the 1980's regards jim

Jim do you have any still in use... were they rugged enough...?

 

[PaleoPerson]

I mix up thymol and oil in a coffee jar and pop in the appropriate no of tea-bags and leave them to soak it up. It works a treat.

Mmmmm! Thymol tea

 

[rourkie]

afraid not i stopped keeping bees when life got in the way and sold everything off, they had a rigid plastic skin and like kingspan insulation in the middle.i think they came from a company called woodland aparies regards jim

 

[jimbeekeeper]

I'm not too sure how relevant it is to your question, but I know beeks who won't buy anything.

Part of the satisfaction for them is to salvage and re-furb unwanted hives and work with local swarms and splits etc.

After all for many amateurs beekeeping is a fascinating 'craft', and do we really need "Weapons Grade" beehives ?

That is quite relevnat, Thanks Brum for the reply.

It just high-lights the differences in Omlets marketing to the new breed of beekeepers, many of the points Beesrob has listed.

Without going to the extrem of selling and posting a hive with bees allready in it.....but maybe that will come?

 

[Frisbee]

I think there's a sticky thread on making the thymol/oil mix, Frisbee will tell you all about it, she's the 'forum police'

Frisbee

 

[JCBrum]

Omlets marketing to the new breed of beekeepers,

Hmmm, I'm not sure the ' new breed of beekeepers ' really exists ......

It all seems a bit 'Harry Enfield - loadsa money' to me - "Last week I wuz a plasterer, now I are a beekeeper" - and that's an '80's idiom.

As regards Omlets marketing, one may deduce the facts, from an examination of the commercial realities.

Firstly if Omlet want to be successful with a new product launch, it's very difficult to make any money on a £50 item unless it sells constantly in huge numbers. You have a much better chance with a £500 item.

Secondly they need a 'unique selling point' to give market penetration from a cold start.

Thirdly they need to be able to protect their product with patents if possible, so that they remain the sole supplier, and avoid competition from clone manufacturers.

Fourthly they need a market place which is receptive to the particular product topic, preferably so that it becomes "all the rage"

I consider that it is these four factors, and the curiously timely availability of Robin Dartington's design, which led to the launch of the Beehaus, in an attempt add products to the Omlet range.

So, generally I don't think it is 'a new breed of beekeepers' which has driven the product so much as cold (impartial) calculating, business development, much as has occured always before.

Just my 2p worth, if it's worth even that

JC.

 

[JCBrum]

ouch Fris, didn't see you coming while i was typing my masterpiece

 

[Frisbee]

ouch Fris, didn't see you coming while i was typing my masterpiece

'sokay..........I like to keep you on your toes........

Masterpiece is good too

Frisbee

 

[jimbeekeeper]

So, generally I don't think it is 'a new breed of beekeepers' which has driven the product so much as cold (impartial) calculating, business development, much as has occured always before.

Just my 2p worth, if it's worth even that

JC.

Exaclty, It is marketing that will drive and create these new beekepers, AKA Accountants. Although the omlet crew are orginaly beekepers themselves.

Time will tell, or I will end up with an item that will be worth a fortune, A bit like the sinclar C5. That was demed a flop when it came out, you try getting hold of one now for less than a new mini

 

[Somerford]

national omlet ?!

Imagine the Omlet team had made the beehaus along the line of the BS national hive?

ALL parts inter changeable, and expandable to 14x12 if wanted, but with the advantage of the beehaus (plastic, insulation, and other features)

And the price was about £90 for one hive inc, QX, supers cover board etc (basiclay a hive excluding frames and foundation)

What’s your view now?

The interesting thing is Dartington had, among a load of others, a Dartington hive called a DSD - Dartington Square Deep, holding 11BS 14x12 frames with his mini supers on top. He also made a DLS - Dartington Long Standard hive with 21 BS brood frames in and a DED hive, Dartington Extended Deep holding 27 14x12 frames. To top it off, a DMS hive, Dartington Migratory Standard with 15 BS frames.

A natonal hive shape could work, it would be very light to carry, an intergral floor, great closure block, but have full size supers on top. No need to think it would deteriorate as poly hives have been around for ages.


I'll suggest it to James at Omlet !

I reckon it would sell, but I do think a muddy brown, wooden colour would sell best to stop them being stolen !

S