Che-apidea - quick view

[Angry_Mob]

No idea whats its called but its a cheap mating hive available from eBay, etc I got this one from Simon the Bee Keeper to see what its like. This cost me £11.99, I purchased a few more for £7.73 each so four of these for less than the price of 1 new Apidea.

I haven't used it yet, needs painted and frames waxed first although will try a graft this Sunday if they hatch.


Here it is sitting beside one of my Apideas for comparison. Very similar size but they have the entrance in the middle, floor also pulls out to the front.


Floor itself is a piece of plastic unlike the poly floor of the Apidea, with the vents this possibly be a benefit as they can overheat easily in the sun? The vents can be closed by pushing the floor further in.



All the bits included, I held up parts to the Apidea counterparts and they are an exact copy; even the feeder fits both hives. One notable omission is the crown board. At this price though I cant complain and I'm going to make my own with a Swienty one I have lying about.



Yellow frames are almost identical to the apidea with the omission of the logo and addition of foundation guides at the bottom.


Apidea frame in the Che-apidea.

 

[madasafish]

Apidea sized mini nucs WILL overheat in the sun..

I place a woodscreen above the roof to reduce the impact.

Not sure if one with no floor vents is suitable in hot weather...in sun or out..

 

[sipa]

Cheap Chinese knockoffs of the original Apidea are a very poor imitation.
Bees chew them badly as the poly is too soft.

Send me a Pm and I'll tell you where to buy the original Apidea at the best price in the country.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

The slide out plastic ventillated floor is the same as the Swi-Bines mini-nucs - so these Chinese copies are a mix between Apideas and Swi-Bines althought the frames are the same as the Apideas. I do perfer the plastic floor to the solid styrofoam floor of the Apidea. I also perfer the wooden frames of the Swi-Bines as they don't have the bee-crush spot where the side and top bars meet.

And whatever the density of polystyrene, if wax moth chew through the feeder, it leaks!

 

[For want of a better word]

https://en.swienty.com/pi/Swi-Bine-without-frames_4003616_164633.aspx
Link to Swienty Co original.

Chinese knock offs abound... first lot we had coat about £4.99 each, but be warned as the Chinese made a mold from the original they are around 10% smaller so roofs and the horrid slidy bit in the front do not fit on the originals!!

Fix a polly sheet to the top as a crownboard... or the odd queen may "hellicopter off" when you open to inspect!