It must be sale season...

[Beanwood]

I've just taken the plunge, and purchased 2 Poly Nucs from Pains, in their October 'Poly' sale. I'm hopeful it may help my two smaller colonies through winter...

(No connection to Pains BTW)

 

[Walrus]

I have a couple of them with the eke to make it 14x12. Seem pretty good. I painted mine to hopefully make them last.

 

[Skyhook]

I'm trying my first poly, a 14 x 12 pains. Happy so far

 

[jackbee]

i was considering that path, keep us informed

 

[IGPebble]

Does painting really help? Polystyrene doesn't decompose, so as long as you don't gouge chunks out of it accidentally, shouldn't they last indefinetly?

 

[Nic Rhodes]

it keeps algae growth down and protects from UV though the plastics are now pretty resistant to that (but more will help life of poly). The former is a big issue for me with cedar hives which end up green!

 

[dickndoris]

They do need painting in masonry paint if you want them to last. I left a couple of their hives un painted for this season and the floors in particular suffered. They get a lot of black growth on them and when you do paint them after they are very rough where it has uv'd and been eaten away. On one the bees are eating the entrance too!
I painted the rest and still look like new. I would recommend putting frame runners in too but you do lose top bee space. One national runner cut in half works well with a bee space at either end.

 

[domino]

I got these as well, any particular brand of paint?

 

[drstitson]

i use homebase masonry paint - can get cheap sample pots if only have 1 or 2 to paint.

 

[Beanwood]

i use homebase masonry paint - can get cheap sample pots if only have 1 or 2 to paint.

Sounds the business - just need to decide on a colour - decisions decisions...

 

[Beanwood]

i was considering that path, keep us informed

Will do.

I've been toying with the idea for a while, and having read several views on here (Particularly faster spring build up) decided it must be worth a go before I have too many more cedar hives. First challenge of course will be to get them through the winter OK.

 

[jackbee]

First challenge of course will be to get them through the winter OK.

First!! - you mean the next that you face, I reckon you're going through the list of beeks dilemmas, ticking them off like an I-Spy book!!

Bit concerned about my small one but going to try them in the full size but with insulated dividers and top, tempted by poly but maybe next year

 

[lebouche]

I read you have to paint the inside of the feeders with three layers of gloss ideally.
The main hive should be painted twice and the inside walls are not so important to do.
I bought one recently, just not sure when will be a warm enough day to do the transplant p.
Thinking maybe Sunday but if I can't get there till Sat its gonna be hard pushed to get the paint dry.
Each time I visit my bees it costs me £20 in petrol!!
Also sanding the inside of the feeder is apparently important to stop the darlings drowning.

 

[biglongdarren]

i bought one of them during the summer,and ordered another seven on monday,three for me and four for a friend. i painted the outside of the one i already have and simply think there brilliant.
Darren

 

[theeggman]

I bought a 14x12 earlier in the year and have just ordered a second.
I like the ability to use wooden supers and feeders on top of the poly brood.
Tim

 

[region2]

Inherited a Paynes national and intend putting one of mine in it for over wintering as an experiment.

With regards the feeder - I like the idea of gloss painting - my suggestion would be to add in some sand to the last coat for grip.

I use Sandtex smooth - 2 or 3 coats by roller works. Colour is Ivory which, spookily, is the colour of my house.

R2
ps. I have no connection with Paynes or Sandtex...

 

[dickndoris]

I did use Wicks as it was the cheapest but they only have bright colours. I ended up using I think forest green from Dulux. Blends in really well and goes on a treat. I haven't painted the inside of any including the nuc feeder and so far no problems. I do put a few extra sticks in the nuc feeder and again no problems with drowning or comb.
Just received 2 more nucs and 14x12's this morning and the quality seems to be better than the ones I was getting in that the poly looks a lot denser and smoother along with a white disc and blanking plates for the nuc feeder!
Ordered some cedar omf floors to go with the 14x12 poly broods and roofs. Easier to clean,look better than the poly pa--s floors and a lot smaller.

 

[browncow]

I am thinking of giving a poly 14x12 hive next year but have 1 concern, what happens when the girls stick the boxes and frames together with propolis?

 

[Ely]

I have a poly 14x12 full hive and 2 commercial cedar hives. Poly benefits to bees aside, the commercials win hands down for inspecting in my opinion.

 

[region2]

I am thinking of giving a poly 14x12 hive next year but have 1 concern, what happens when the girls stick the boxes and frames together with propolis?

Not tried it but vasaline on the joints is the way forward...

R2
ps. I have no connection with Vasaline