Beehaus for beginners

[Curly green finger's]

Hi and good morning, one of my new mentorees has shown an interest in the above type of hive to start the new season next spring, he is starting with two of my 6 frame maisemore nucs in the spring and I have suggested he buys either abelo poly or similar instead of the omelet beehaus what are your thoughts pls and recommendations.
Thanks in advance.
C. G. F
I also wanted to add he is a friend and is selling our honey in his shop, his interest is mainly because he has a farm and he would like to contribute to extra pollination and produce honey for his family and friends, there is know conflicting interest for him to sell honey in his shop.
We have been friends for 15 years and we have very much so muchuial respect for each other.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Curly, you are a commercial bee farmer. Just tell him the Beehaus is rubbish and recommend your favourite brand of poly.
There are scores of threads about which poly is best.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Curly, you are a commercial bee farmer. Just tell him the Beehaus is rubbish and recommend your favourite brand of poly.
There are scores of threads about which poly is best.

Aye i know, he won't buy anything I don't recommend dani, I only have cedar and poly nucs.
He is keen to try poly so I will recommend abelo national

Edit: I've read up on the Beehaus on here and on the Web some people like them but for a beginner?

 

[W0otz]

When I was researching which hive to go with I was convinced by the beehaus for a long time, but a couple of things put me off. Firstly the cost, not just the initial purchase but that fact you need their proprietary supers, crownboards etc (which admittedly aren't terribly priced, but more than cedar seconds). Secondly, touched on before, the proprietary nature of it - you can't go mixing and matching kit from other suppliers.

I ended up with 2x Thornes Bees on a Budget 14x12 hives. Arguably more kit (4 full supers vs 4 half supers with Beehaus, 22 vs 10 brood frames, 40/48 vs 10 super frames) and £100 change.

I think it could work well as a 14x12 long hive though - forget the supers, forget trying to run 2 colonies in it, just treat it as a long hive. Cost is comparable to others I've looked at (e.g. Short Hive).

 

[Curly green finger's]

When I was researching which hive to go with I was convinced by the beehaus for a long time, but a couple of things put me off. Firstly the cost, not just the initial purchase but that fact you need their proprietary supers, crownboards etc (which admittedly aren't terribly priced, but more than cedar seconds). Secondly, touched on before, the proprietary nature of it - you can't go mixing and matching kit from other suppliers.

I ended up with 2x Thornes Bees on a Budget 14x12 hives. Arguably more kit (4 full supers vs 4 half supers with Beehaus, 22 vs 10 brood frames, 40/48 vs 10 super frames) and £100 change.

I think it could work well as a 14x12 long hive though - forget the supers, forget trying to run 2 colonies in it, just treat it as a long hive. Cost is comparable to others I've looked at (e.g. Short Hive).

Thanks for your insight I've spoken to my friend on the phone and he is looking into buying the Abelo poly national, he only wants to have two colonys and wants to go for poly, I did suggest second cedar as the majority of mine are seconds both of our thoughts was we could both learn something from having the Abelo instead of wood, him learning to look after bees, me I don't have abelo polys so it would be of benefit to us both.
Some new beeks get very surprises at how much the initial out lay can be, and don't even realise what beekeeping intails, even after going on a course.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks for your insight I've spoken to my friend on the phone and he is looking into buying the Abelo poly national, he only wants to have two colonys and wants to go for poly, I did suggest second cedar as the majority of mine are seconds both of our thoughts was we could both learn something from having the Abelo instead of wood, him learning to look after bees, me I don't have abelo polys so it would be of benefit to us both.
Some new beeks get very surprises at how much the initial out lay can be, and don't even realise what beekeeping intails, even after going on a course.

At least get him to buy the old style with a deep roof then he can mix and match wooden kit

 

[Curly green finger's]

At least get him to buy the old style with a deep roof then he can mix and match wooden kit

I have https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...EQFnoECDcQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3_lx5_Pibb6gvRrHrH0Ggf
Edit this was my thinking as there are only two supers with each hive and any extra kit bought could be cedar for the honey season.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...EQFnoECDcQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3_lx5_Pibb6gvRrHrH0Ggf
Edit this was my thinking as there are only two supers with each hive and any extra kit bought could be cedar for the honey season.

Yes I like to get frames drawn in poly supers at 11 spaces then move to 10 in a wooden one
Having the first super on poly suits me too. More if I have them but sometimes I run out.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Yes I like to get frames drawn in poly supers at 11 spaces then nice to ten in a wooden one
Having the first super on poly suits me too. More if I have them but sometimes I run out.

Thanks dani
If I like them the Abelo that is I would like to get some myself, they would be interesting to use on the heather
In future years. The poly would possibly help them keep drawing comb?.
I was reading my thread abelo v/s paradise and it seems abelo old style are the way to go for the mix and match sinario.
Demarreing abelo with a cedar second brood box is easy enough?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Demarreing abelo with a cedar second brood box is easy enough?

Yes. Just have the heavier box on the bottom.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Yes. Just have the heavier box on the bottom.

So a reversed demaree?

 

[Erichalfbee]

No I meant the wooden box.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Only matters if you’re rolling it if you’re taking the top box off like a split then it doesn’t matter as you won’t be taking it off to look at the bottom box.

 

[Erichalfbee]

One day I will have the courage to do the manipulation and leave the bottom box alone. But for now I still look in it

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

One day I will have the courage to do the manipulation and leave the bottom box alone. But for now I still look in it

I usually leave it alone for two or three weeks before looking now.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I usually leave it alone for two or three weeks before looking now.

Same once the manipulation has been done I didn't really look in the bottom box only removed the supers to see how they were getting on drawing it out.
It worked for me this season, even took two demarees up to the Heather for them to finish off the brood box once I'd removed the frames of pollen.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Had alot of pollen frames in some of the demaree this season.
I plan to use itlds method with the cloaky/cover board which should hopefully help me not faff, I plan to spend less time faffing .
But will still lean on the gate post to observe colonys in my breaks