Brood boxes

[Barbie bee]

Another newbie question that’s been prompted from reading posts on here.

Wooden or poly brood boxes? What are the pros and cons, what do people recommend?

I thought wooden would be more sustainable and better for environment than plastic/polystyrene. Also wood would be easier to maintain and repair.

 

[Beefriendly]

I thought wooden would be more sustainable and better for environment than plastic/polystyrene. Also wood would be easier to maintain and repair.

Perhaps, but what provides a better environment for the bees?
I doubt they care for sustainability, they just like to be warm.

 

[Walrus]

Another newbie question that’s been prompted from reading posts on here.

Wooden or poly brood boxes? What are the pros and cons, what do people recommend?

I thought wooden would be more sustainable and better for environment than plastic/polystyrene. Also wood would be easier to maintain and repair.

As with everything there will be a range of views. Most of mine are poly but I have plenty of wood ones too. If you get addicted to beekeeping, as many do, you'll be buying a lot of boxes over the years as you expand, so you'll be able to try both and see for yourself which you prefer. I haven't yet figured out which is better for me...they both seem fine.

 

[Beefriendly]

# I haven't yet figured out which is better for me...they both seem fine.

When we get the next really cold winter I suspect you may get somewhere towards an answer..But if they can survive with matchsticks creating a through draft all winter then the differences will be subtle.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Another newbie question that’s been prompted from reading posts on here.

Wooden or poly brood boxes? What are the pros and cons, what do people recommend?

I thought wooden would be more sustainable and better for environment than plastic/polystyrene. Also wood would be easier to maintain and repair.

I have both, broods and supers.
My bees do better in poly. They eat less over winter and get a good start in spring. Poly boxes are warmer so if you can make sure you get your first super in poly they will draw wax faster in it.
Poly is a pig to clean but to my mind bees go to great lengths to propolise the insides so I just gently scrape the major stuff off.
Looked after a good poly box should last 20/30 years.
Husband likes wood which is the only reason I have them, and I turn them into “poly hives” with a cosy over winter.

Nucs. I wouldn’t have anything but poly.

 

[Walrus]

When we get the next really cold winter I suspect you may get somewhere towards an answer..But if they can survive with matchsticks creating a through draft all winter then the differences will be subtle.

Why, do you think the next really cold winter will be much different to the last one? Beast from the East (2018) was quite nippy!

 

[Beefriendly]

Why, do you think the next really cold winter will be much different to the last one? Beast from the East (2018) was quite nippy!

Price of spring nucs in 2018 late March was over £250....
Last year if you could get £150 a nuc it was a plus.

 

[Swarm]

Another newbie question that’s been prompted from reading posts on here.

Wooden or poly brood boxes? What are the pros and cons, what do people recommend?

I thought wooden would be more sustainable and better for environment than plastic/polystyrene. Also wood would be easier to maintain and repair.

My advice is stick with the choice you made, too many variables with poly. Our Enrico used to live in Shropshire, I'm pretty sure his bees were in Cedar, possibly even with no insulation overhead.

 

[Bee Boys]

If you choose to get a poly hive go for maismoor or swenti not paynes, at least in my experiance. I have had a swarm in a paynes poly hive for about 7 mounths and have had continouos trouble the hive lets in water some how and the wax has gone mouldy. The bees have not cleaned this up and so the mould has spread. Now I have had to move the coloney into a poly nuc from bs honey bees,which is a very good nuc.

 

[Bee Boys]

If you choose to get a poly hive go for maismoor or swenti not paynes, at least in my experiance. I have had a swarm in a paynes poly hive for about 7 mounths and have had continouos trouble the hive lets in water some how and the wax has gone mouldy. The bees have not cleaned this up and so the mould has spread. Now I have had to move the coloney into a poly nuc from bs honey bees,which is a very good nuc.

Others have probably had better experience with the paynes hives. And this is gust my experience and that might gust be down to a bad hive.

 

[Poly Hive]

There are early versions of poly over 40 years old and in hard usage.

PH

 

[Curly green finger's]

Another newbie question that’s been prompted from reading posts on here.

Wooden or poly brood boxes? What are the pros and cons, what do people recommend?

I thought wooden would be more sustainable and better for environment than plastic/polystyrene. Also wood would be easier to maintain and repair.

Hi welcome Barbie bee I've got mainly cedar but have found poly to be better , especially on high ground in south Shropshire..

 

[Bee Boys]

If you choose to get a poly hive go for maismoor or swenti not paynes, at least in my experiance. I have had a swarm in a paynes poly hive for about 7 mounths and have had continouos trouble the hive lets in water some how and the wax has gone mouldy. The bees have not cleaned this up and so the mould has spread. Now I have had to move the coloney into a poly nuc from bs honey bees,which is a very good nuc.

I am now planing to sell my poly hive.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I am now planing to sell my poly hive.

Don’t advertise it here

 

[Bee Boys]

Don’t advertise it here

were wold you recommend advertising it Erichalfbee. Thank you

 

[Erichalfbee]

were wold you recommend advertising it Erichalfbee. Thank you

It was a joke.
You have complained ( rightly) how faulty it is.
eBay?

 

[Bee Boys]

It was a joke.
You have complained ( rightly) how faulty it is.
eBay?

The frame rests are full of water ( maybe as suggested condensation ) and the frames are going mouldy, i had hopped that the bees whould clean it up and stop it next time but it came back. Is going to try to sell.thank you

 

[Bee Boys]

The hive is a paynes poly hive with two supers.

 

[SWEET]

When we get the next really cold winter I suspect you may get somewhere towards an answer..But if they can survive with matchsticks creating a through draft all winter then the differences will be subtle.

Read a paper* regards some prof testing if bees could survive cold/exposure/cluster temp over winter, hive had one side removed and bees survived, interesting stuff.

Air temps inside the hive are only slightly above outside temps, down to -50 (I've read). Last winter I'd accidentally left an empty super (no frames and qx fitted) on a feral hive, they survived fine.

*might have been posted on here.

 

[Stiffy]

If you choose to get a poly hive go for maismoor or swenti not paynes, at least in my experiance. I have had a swarm in a paynes poly hive for about 7 mounths and have had continouos trouble the hive lets in water some how and the wax has gone mouldy. The bees have not cleaned this up and so the mould has spread. Now I have had to move the coloney into a poly nuc from bs honey bees,which is a very good nuc.

If the hive is letting in wet, it should have gone straight back to your supplier. Your 'problem' sounds more like condensation though and if it was me I would be looking to resolve.
I have poly hives from many sources and apart from early paradise products with their stupid bee space and several falling apart , I've not had any problems.
I live in a part of the country were frosts are rare and now run most hives as wooden body, solid floors and a poly roof which works well for me and my bees.
S