is poly more attractive now than 12 months ago

[Into the lions den]

Teams just returned from first day at the harvesting on the moors, at Mar Lodge west of Braemar. Significant (not abundant, but enough to be a problem) nectar at all locations. Nice barometer groups as there are 2 Wooden Smith sites, 2 Wooden Lang sites, and 2 Poly Lang sites on the one estate in the same area, similar altitude etc.

Bottom line............ estimated harvest on each type thus far (and it will not change much now)

Wooden Lang 10 to 15 lb
Wooden Smith 15 to 20 lb
Poly Lang 30 to 40 lb ( actually they are estimating 1.5 Lang deeps per colony, so could be higher, but sticking at this as they DO tend to estimate high.)
The polys also have a lot more bees in them now, and two or three more bars of brood.

No apparent varroa showing anywhere.

Due to the fresh nectar, the plentiful remaining flowering, and the weather forecast, have decided to leave the harvesting until next week now.

Looks like the percentage difference this year might be the highest ever since we started comparing back in 1997.

 

[dickbowyer]

From MB Website

The Finnish designer of our hives who runs approximately 3,000 colonies claims he does not even know any beekeepers in Finland still using wooden hives.

From Beekeeping Forum, Finman

I have 3 polybrood for every hive but I still have 45 years old wooden boxes in usage.

Should they be told?

 

[herefordshirehoney]

Teams just returned from first day at the harvesting on the moors, at Mar Lodge west of Braemar. Significant (not abundant, but enough to be a problem) nectar at all locations. Nice barometer groups as there are 2 Wooden Smith sites, 2 Wooden Lang sites, and 2 Poly Lang sites on the one estate in the same area, similar altitude etc.

Bottom line............ estimated harvest on each type thus far (and it will not change much now)

Wooden Lang 10 to 15 lb
Wooden Smith 15 to 20 lb
Poly Lang 30 to 40 lb ( actually they are estimating 1.5 Lang deeps per colony, so could be higher, but sticking at this as they DO tend to estimate high.)
The polys also have a lot more bees in them now, and two or three more bars of brood.

No apparent varroa showing anywhere.

Due to the fresh nectar, the plentiful remaining flowering, and the weather forecast, have decided to leave the harvesting until next week now.

Looks like the percentage difference this year might be the highest ever since we started comparing back in 1997.

Astonishing! With the climate the way it is at the moment does seem to back up poly all the way .

 

[user 6228]

............ estimated harvest on each type thus far (and it will not change much now)

Wooden Lang 10 to 15 lb
Wooden Smith 15 to 20 lb
Poly Lang 30 to 40 lb ( actually they are estimating 1.5 Lang deeps per colony, so could be higher, but sticking at this as they DO tend to estimate high.)
The polys also have a lot more bees in them now, and two or three more bars of brood.

...Looks like the percentage difference this year might be the highest ever since we started comparing back in 1997.

What do the comparative numbers look like on the input side, when you have to feed?

 

[alanf]

Wooden Lang 10 to 15 lb
Wooden Smith 15 to 20 lb
Poly Lang 30 to 40 lb

Very interesting. Is it usual to have the wooden Smiths are coming out ahead of the larger Langs? Any ideas why - smaller volume to keep warm?

 

[Swarm]

Sorry Swarm but something wrong there.

PH

No nothing wrong, no noticeable difference that's all.

 

[Into the lions den]

Very interesting. Is it usual to have the wooden Smiths are coming out ahead of the larger Langs? Any ideas why - smaller volume to keep warm?

For some reason they always have done. I suspect that the wooden Langstroth is not really the perfect format for the UK climate. The lesser distance from front to back is my main thought, as wooden Langs, devoid of extra floor ventilation, can get quite stale at the back of the box in winter.

We have figures going back 30 year, and its 23 years since we got the wooden Langs added to the unit. Only very rarely, at either heather or blossom, have the Langs done better. The problem is taken care of in Poly as the mesh floor gives a better hive interior environment at key times of year.

 

[Into the lions den]

What do the comparative numbers look like on the input side, when you have to feed?

They all get the same feed regime..............normally 10 litres (14Kg) of invert syrup in autumn. Most colonies of all types do not need any other feeding thoughout the year. Maybe a third get another feed in spring if very light, usually only a half feed.

So no real difference in inputs.

 

[Into the lions den]

Astonishing! With the climate the way it is at the moment does seem to back up poly all the way .

Guys came back in from the reuniting trip again today, did another 6 sites, this time all poly, and although variable, the overall story was much the same as for yesterdays poly ones. Not a blank and I am sure glad we are over 50% poly. Means the best of my staff will keep their jobs this year, if we were all wooden there would be carnage on the P45s.

They will be at 6 sites of woodens tomorrow.............and I already know it is not going to be a happy story.

Do NOT overinterpret this as a poly justification. these results are exceptional due to the nature of the year, and even the poly returns are hardly fit for bragging about. Long term over the records back to 1997, the poly hives run 18 to 20% ahead of the wooden ones in productivity. With similar imput costs that change radically alters the bottom line.

 

[Poly Hive]

Swarm? Reason I asked is I cannot remember having a poly unit that did not expand so that there was brood on the two outside comb faces. Often in fact the first face to be laid up in spring. A queen that could not achieve laying up a poly from side to side is for the chop with my operation.

PH

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

is poly more attractive now than 12 months ago?

Strange question in retrospect - do you think he's had a facelift or something?
Or are you getting less fussy in your old age

Does PH reciprocate your feelings?

 

[Swarm]

All I can do is say what I've seen, I've had better brood coverage. The poly is on a par with my other colonies (average) but my strongest are in wood. None of them have done as well as last year but I won't be reading much into any results given the season we've had.

 

[Haughton Honey]

I've tried both MB and Denrosa poly hives (the Denrosa hives being obtained from C W-J) and decided last year to drop them and expand my Commercial cedar hives in the hope of becoming commercial one day soon.

For me at least, too much condensation in the hives during Winter, too easy to damage and as with a few other comments, ethically wood sits better with me.

I've had several colonies with brood in the outer frames this season....rather more to do with the strain/breeding than the hive material though. In fact one of my colonies was today still on 9 frames of BIAS in a Commercial cedar hive (Buckfast type).

Each to their own I suppose.

 

[Poly Hive]

Condensation?

That has to be a first for me. Never heard of it before. Never seen it in poly.

Which make of hive exhibited this please?

PH

 

[Luminos]

is poly more attractive now than 12 months ago?

Strange question in retrospect - do you think he's had a facelift or something?
Or are you getting less fussy in your old age

Does PH reciprocate your feelings?

Might be Polyanwood, not PH...

 

[Haughton Honey]

Condensation?

That has to be a first for me. Never heard of it before. Never seen it in poly.

Which make of hive exhibited this please?

PH

These were the MB National PH (less so with the Denrosa).

In double brood format over the Winter of 2011/2012.

 

[Poly Hive]

Very interesting. I suppose I'll have to acquire one to trial.

Not at all the norm for poly though, something is wrong somewhere.

PH

 

[roche]

Incidently PH, which make of poly do you use? Or prefer, if they are different...

 

[Poly Hive]

I have Lyson, Pains and Swienty at the moment and far prefer Swienty.

PH

 

[roche]

Interesting - we are trying some Pains at the moment and are finding a few niggles with them...Might just be needing to work them in a different way, but still niggles...