Beekeeping reflections

[gmonag]

The English are fond of inventing "another incompatible system " which has some merits but all it really does dilute volumes for others and make prices higher..

Irish actually.

 

[victor meldrew]

I’ve kept bees for over 30 years without resorting to poly .
The plastics problem has figured in my thinking !
Having said that , I’ve invested in a Payne’s 14/12 nuc with feeder .
It will be put to use next spring . Then I will make my appraisal.
Wax moth larvae damage , wasp damage etc have all been cited . We will see. .

 

[Boston Bees]

Having said that , I’ve invested in a Payne’s 14/12 nuc with feeder .
It will be put to use next spring . Then I will make my appraisal.
Wax moth larvae damage , wasp damage etc have all been cited . We will see. .

Don't judge poly nucs by the Paynes nuc. It's an odd fish with a roof that is far too thin, without even getting into the feeder issues. The new Maisemore nucs with the very thick roof are (IMHO) way ahead in terms of spec, and now Abelo have launched an even higher spec one (admittedly at a painful price). So if you don't like the Paynes version, don't write off the whole segment. I have about 15 Maisemore and 2 Paynes, but haven't bought an Abelo one so I can't comment on that.

 

[Antipodes]

The really important things are genetics, nutrition, age of queen and disease management.....and all the same sized boxes.

 

[fiat500bee]

The Rose hive/system does have some merits and in sensitive hands using just one sized box throughout in a vertical hive is appealing.

I hope I turn out to have "sensitive hands"

I don't have to look back far in history to reflect on what I would have done differently if starting again from scratch...it would be using Abelo poly shallow or deep boxes in a one-size stack in the style of the Rose Hive. So I would also hope to have read Tim Rowe's book before I went anywhere near a bee.

For next year I now have sufficient equipment to do this; and if both my colonies make it through winter, I intend to manage the Buckfast in a stack of deeps and my "random" bees in a stack of shallows.

 

[GuyNir]

Don't judge poly nucs by the Paynes nuc. It's an odd fish with a roof that is far too thin, without even getting into the feeder issues. The new Maisemore nucs with the very thick roof are (IMHO) way ahead in terms of spec, and now Abelo have launched an even higher spec one (admittedly at a painful price). So if you don't like the Paynes version, don't write off the whole segment. I have about 15 Maisemore and 2 Paynes, but haven't bought an Abelo one so I can't comment on that.

 

[Murox]

I hope I turn out to have "sensitive hands"

I don't have to look back far in history to reflect on what I would have done differently if starting again from scratch...it would be using Abelo poly shallow or deep boxes in a one-size stack in the style of the Rose Hive. So I would also hope to have read Tim Rowe's book before I went anywhere near a bee.

For next year I now have sufficient equipment to do this; and if both my colonies make it through winter, I intend to manage the Buckfast in a stack of deeps and my "random" bees in a stack of shallows.

It will be interesting to hear that all works out for you in practice.

 

[victor meldrew]

Don't judge poly nucs by the Paynes nuc. It's an odd fish with a roof that is far too thin, without even getting into the feeder issues. The new Maisemore nucs with the very thick roof are (IMHO) way ahead in terms of spec, and now Abelo have launched an even higher spec one (admittedly at a painful price). So if you don't like the Paynes version, don't write off the whole segment. I have about 15 Maisemore and 2 Paynes, but haven't bought an Abelo one so I can't comment on that.

This Covid lock down has affected my old brain . I actually bought a maisemore .

 

[Boston Bees]

This Covid lock down has affected my old brain . I actually bought a maisemore .

Good stuff!

(One thing to watch - there is one major design flaw in that there is (I think) no space between the bottom of the feeder and the top of the frames, which can lead to major crushing if you aren't aware of that.)

(Another thing is that they don't come with a perspex "crownboard" by default, but I always use one. They cost £3 or so, or you can make one).

 

[Apple]

Don't judge poly nucs by the Paynes nuc. It's an odd fish with a roof that is far too thin, without even getting into the feeder issues. The new Maisemore nucs with the very thick roof are (IMHO) way ahead in terms of spec, and now Abelo have launched an even higher spec one (admittedly at a painful price). So if you don't like the Paynes version, don't write off the whole segment. I have about 15 Maisemore and 2 Paynes, but haven't bought an Abelo one so I can't comment on that.

Paynes do a top feeder, which would make up for the "thin " roof... but with the clear plastic cover in place seems to make up for any lack of insulation....
Over to Derek M for comment?
Chons da

 

[GuyNir]

Best use I found for the Paynes nucs is converting it to 8 frame box.

 

[victor meldrew]

Good stuff!

(One thing to watch - there is one major design flaw in that there is (I think) no space between the bottom of the feeder and the top of the frames, which can lead to major crushing if you aren't aware of that.)

(Another thing is that they don't come with a perspex "crownboard" by default, but I always use one. They cost £3 or so, or you can make one).

I’ll check, just checked and you are correct! As the feeder is only used temporarily, an 8 mil shim to raise the ‘ rest’ point on the out side should suffice .

 

[Swarm]

Waste of time, I;ve used these for years with no problem.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Waste of time, I;ve used these for years with no problem.

we had a long discussion about them here when they first came out, I had bought one just to see what they were like, so I measured every bit and reported back, and although there is not a full beespace above the frames (either with the old roof, or the feeder) there is nearly a half beespace.
I've never noticed any crushed bees either.
A little later that year (Spring convention I think) I spoke to Eric and Jon at Maisies and the Maisies nuc was just a copy (made by the same manufacturer) of the same nuc they had been using and overwintering bees in at Maisemore's for a few seasons. They never had an issue with the 'no beespace roof' either.

 

[GuyNir]

we had a long discussion about them here when they first came out, I had bought one just to see what they were like, so I measured every bit and reported back, and although there is not a full beespace above the frames (either with the old roof, or the feeder) there is nearly a half beespace.
I've never noticed any crushed bees either.
A little later that year (Spring convention I think) I spoke to Eric and Jon at Maisies and the Maisies nuc was just a copy (made by the same manufacturer) of the same nuc they had been using and overwintering bees in at Maisemore's for a few seasons. They never had an issue with the 'no beespace roof' either.

using for several years now, non issue.

 

[victor meldrew]

using for several years now, non issue.

At least there’ll be no brace comb !
Propolis adhesion with some colonies happen ?
We shall see .

 

[Hachi]

(Another thing is that they don't come with a perspex "crownboard" by default, but I always use one. They cost £3 or so, or you can make one).

I bought a huge sheet of black damp proof membrane, really thick plastic sheet and cut my crown "boards" from that works out a pence each