BS Honey Bees New Poly Hive - Best in Class?

[Apple]

Will BS be producing the METAL slider divider to replace the Correx abomination for the double nuc.?

Better than the metal runners to carry the frames which would be a pain to remove to clean ( may be wrong presentation skipped over this) are the removeable L shaped plastic runners as used by the BHS ( BeeHiveSupplies) polly Nationals that we use.
[Made in Harrowbarrow Cornwall PL17]

 

[Ian123]

I've had worse leakage problems with a creaky, old wooden box than with the very precisely constructed Abelos.

Agree with the old boxes but if it’s so precisely constructed why does it have a feature that lets in more water/leaks than 2 reasonable wooden boxes stacked together. Just appears to be a problem that would have been flagged up with even a limited field trial.

 

[Ian123]

Will BS be producing the METAL slider divider to replace the Correx abomination for the double nuc.?

Better than the metal runners to carry the frames which would be a pain to remove to clean ( may be wrong presentation skipped over this) are the removeable L shaped plastic runners as used by the BHS ( BeeHiveSupplies) polly Nationals that we use.
[Made in Harrowbarrow Cornwall PL17]

Yes I think the metal divider is on the upgrade section on their page already.

 

[user 20297]

Just appears to be a problem that would have been flagged up with even a limited field trial.

.......good point. It seems like quite a lot of people don't like quite a lot of features of some makes of polyhive. It makes me wonder if they even tested prototypes with the beekeeping "public".

 

[thorn]

I'm happy with my first generation Abelo, but this looks good. It'll come down to price for me. But I might buy a BS crown board and feeder to try with my Abelos and wooden hives.
The BS will also be good for overwintering smaller colonies rather than having the disruption of moving them to a nuc.

 

[Apple]

Is it designed as a double full hive though, not sure the dividers are meant to seal multiple boxes. Maybe supers for mating Nucs?

Would make an interesting tower!
However we used the Paynes double brood extensions last season to great success.
Over wintered a few which will be ready to rock and roll up to single brood boxes this season... will have a head start!

May be too early, but making up 1:1 stimulated feed for the Brood +1/2 colonies selected splits for this season.
AS then use 1 brood and 2 "supers" brood with eggs larvae into each half of the BS nucs.... these then go to open mate in drone flooded ( Black Native) area.... once successfully mated, moved into a full 6 frame nuc, and later the extension.... fed throughout!
The 2 "super frames" get drawn down with drone which further boosts the drone population for the later matings.......
Thinking sideways do you think this would be one advantage in using the new BS Honey split double????

Chons da

 

[Ian123]

.......good point. It seems like quite a lot of people don't like quite a lot of features of some makes of polyhive. It makes me wonder if they even tested protostypes with the beekeeping "public".

It may be the case they asked to many hence the random features/tweaks. I would prefer a simple design well made and cost effective any day. To be honest cost is still the biggest draw back IMO. If you could get the price to just a few £ over seconds then I think that’s the real winner.

 

[pargyle]

I've watched the full video ... there are a couple of things I like:

1. Compatibilty with timber supers ... although I'm not sure depleting the insulation benefits of the rest of the hive being poly by using timber supers makes this essential.
2. The plastic mating surfaces between the boxes (if they stay attached to the poly) are a nice touch.

However, they seem to have tried to cram too many gimmicks into it to appeal to minorities,

I wold not split a hive like this with a divider down the middle and the groove in the walls and the floor to accommodate this is going to be a magnet for crud and creatures. I've split my Long deep hive horizontally to make increase and it works - but, it's four feet long and 25 frames with the entrances well set away from each other - you can separate the two halves really well. I think splitting a standard national like this is more trouble than it is worth.

I'm not sure why they chose to bond in the frame runners ? Looking at the close up of the poly holding them in it aleady appears to be fragmenting ... not certain that they will stay in place long term. There's nothing wrong with the slots and runners on existing poly hives that work - reinventing the wheel ?

I would have preferred a clear crownboard option - yes, you could convert the existing poly one (more or less a copy of the one Paynes put out a couple of years ago) but - you are messing about to create something that could have been there as standard.

I like top bee space - but I recognise that's a personal preference, similarly, I also like a landing board.

The entrance block looks a bit fiddly for my liking.

I think they may have tried to put more into it than is necessary ... I'm still looking for the perfect poly and I don't agree with BMH that they have done it ...

 

[hemo]

I find the holes in the Abelo brood boxes very useful as they act as an entrance when you do a vertical split. Saves having to construct or purchase a snelgrove board.

A standard wooden CB can simply be converted in two or three minutes using a fine saw and one small screw to make a Snelgrove hinged entrance, if one wants more entrances it takes a couple more mins and a couple more screws.
Converting one isn't complicated or onerous to do, by the time I have written this I could have converted some for multiple use.

All my wooden CB's are multi use but now only reserved for vertical splits or for top boards on supers/broods in storage. All colonies now utilise insulated Poly carb top box/ crown board construction.

 

[Ian123]

For standard national with no super £108 looks a good price. Could then use wooden supers on in summer.

Questions I have would be...

Does the poly roof fit on a wooden super ? Looks like it would.

There are divider slots in the super but no mention on video or website of longer metal divider board to use the super when split into nucs.

Think I will stick with my £25 home made 2 in 1 hive from 3rds for now. This is a world exclusive
View attachment 24798

Here’s a couple of pics for Simon taken a few minutes ago,the corgis are just for the fun of it

 

[simonforeman]

Twin boxes can work well I’ve had plenty I’ll post some pics later just to prove there’s very little exclusive in beekeeping! I think I nicked the idea from the original Ted Hooper book and would bet he got it from another! Queens don’t run over the divide and bees don’t fight. For the simple reason there’s a crown board on each, even if you had both sides open I’ve certainly not had an issue whilst inspecting. A thin divide is no issue as long as it’s sealed and in fact could be a bonus! I’ve never found the need to add boxes to a nuc. If they need more space they go into a hive. Cost wise there great those boxes cost him £25. Two polys will set you back about £80. I found the biggest draw back with them was just transferring 1 half and not being able to knock the bees in I think I have a couple of improvements for Simon though. Ian

I welcome any improvements Ian.

 

[Boston Bees]

Another issue is that with the divider in there's clearly too much space for 5 frames. So would you also need a follower board on each side?

 

[Swn58]

Don’t see this as imitation at all. The new Abelo is TBS, which reduces your compatibility options and locks you in a bit.
The BS Honey looks to me like a solid option, (potentially) market leading, with extra added features - all at a comparable price.

I tend to agree. The other thing that makes a more persuasive argument is that they are mainly manufactured in the UK. Did I read that Abelo hives are made in Poland? I will switch to any poly hive made in this country, as there may be supply problems from foreign sources in the future.

 

[Ian123]

Another issue is that with the divider in there's clearly too much space for 5 frames. So would you also need a follower board on each side?

The less nimble fingered may see a dummy board as an advantage. If you look at my pic you’ll see 1 six frame and a five frame. The thicker 18mm divider is simply there to take a flat 12mm ply crown boards and provide a decent lip. It also corresponds to the battens run around edge of home made floor. Those are 2 nice overwintered Nucs that will get moved up into hives maybe end of the month. Bit of a pain with supers to cover feed buckets but that’s why I prefer a decent poly with in built but they do work and are cost effective.

 

[GuyNir]

I tend to agree. The other thing that makes a more persuasive argument is that they are mainly manufactured in the UK. Did I read that Abelo hives are made in Poland? I will switch to any poly hive made in this country, as there may be supply problems from foreign sources in the future.

My avatar provides a clue what I think about buying ‘Made in the UK’...

 

[thorn]

A standard wooden CB can simply be converted in two or three minutes using a fine saw and one small screw to make a Snelgrove hinged entrance, if one wants more entrances is takes a couple more mins and a couple more screws.
Converting one isn't complicated or onerous to do, by the time I have written this I could have converted some for multiple use.

All my wooden CB's are multi use but now only reserved for vertical splits or for top boards on supers/broods in storage. All colonies now utilise insulated Poly carb top box/ crown board construction.

You're obviously handy. Some of us could easily destroy a crown board in following your example.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

However, they seem to have tried to cram too many gimmicks into it to appeal to minorities,

Seems to be the general problem with most new products, the manufacturers seem to be determined to listen to, and include every fiddly and crackpot modification that they hear when people start chatting at the convention, hence the plethora of incompatible items and fiddly modifications we see time and time again.

 

[GuyNir]

I respectfully disagree with JBM and Philip above. Nothing wrong with being innovative. One doesn’t have to use the divider option, it’s an added feature.

 

[Ian123]

Seems to be the general problem with most nre products, the manufacturers seem to be determined to listen to, and include every fiddly and crackpot modification that they hear when people start chatting at the convention, hence the plethora of incompatible items and fiddly modifications we see time and time again.

At least the fiddly bits here are kept to the inside to use or not as you see fit. I do wonder though as they sell a very good poly nuc is there a need, but I suspect 2 five frame Nucs would winter very comfortably in there. Bonus is there’s no silly protruding floors or and abundance of other holes needing plugs. I do think the feeder could of had 2 of those silicone bungs for feeding the Nucs candy, 5 frames can and do run short. You could at least then done away with the crown board. As before if you took the cost of all the add on bits they may be more appealing. Ian

 

[Angry_Mob]

I find the holes in the Abelo brood boxes very useful as they act as an entrance when you do a vertical split. Saves having to construct or purchase a snelgrove board.

I note that you only mention the brood boxes, what's your thoughts on the hole in the supers?

It always puzzles me that the optional featues of the Abelo, which you don't have to use, seem to cause people such angst.

I've had worse leakage problems with a creaky, old wooden box than with the very precisely constructed Abelos.

Angst doesn't seem a good choice of word, I doubt anyone is losing sleep over it. Its the inclusion of them that causes various issues one of which being leaky is not one. The bags of not even single use plastic vents that I have acquired, the pre-painted hives that come with the white bung instead of being painted and at least one of my orders being short of the white plugs meanings which Abelo did thankfully rectify. All of these issues will not be a problem with the BS hive though. I guess it's how much you like fiddly things, that's one aspect of the Abelo I don't like.


Another thing I thought of I dont like about this BS hive is the amount of branding, every side of every box has their company details. On the BS nucs I find the lettering is always the most time consuming area. That was one of the nice things about the ordinal Abelo design is that they were all plain however even they have branding on them now although not to this extent.

At least the fiddly bits here are kept to the inside to use or not as you see fit. I do wonder though as they sell a very good poly nuc is there a need, but I suspect 2 five frame Nucs would winter very comfortably in there. Bonus is there’s no silly protruding floors or and abundance of other holes needing plugs. I do think the feeder could of had 2 of those silicone bungs for feeding the Nucs candy, 5 frames can and do run short. You could at least then done away with the crown board. As before if you took the cost of all the add on bits they may be more appealing. Ian

I do like your idea of the double bung crown board/feeder.