Langstroth or National?

[Finman]

il "plastic hives will never take on in the UK as beekeeping here is more amateur than in Europe". .

In every country there are most amateurs.
Beehives are very long lasting. All kind of furnitureas are alive.

When I started almost 50 years ago, Langstroth was very rare and in Sweden too.


Now the breeding of queen meaans here that you cannot put modern queen into the old hive. It swarms at once when it lays all full.

Our bee colonies are now 3 times bigger than 50 years ago.

If you put Carniolan in National hive, how it happens?

Here is a Swedish beehive. We had those too 30 years ago but not many now.

 

[oliver90owner]

Not arguing but,

A complete Langstroth beehive was not as complete as I would like - what about a super for instance?

Not sure what a complete National was at the Thorne's sale, but I would think they would not be far off comparable, as they include things like super, Q/E, cover board. And even Thorne sales are not the cheapest on the market. Good value, but not the cheapest.

I would be settling for a floor, a brood and a roof (as I would convert to top bee space and I would cut my own flat cover board).

This is obviously the starter offer to get you interested. I agree it will be better for many with the bigger brood. I agree, once converted to poly, the benefits will show through. But parts are not interchangeable with other systems, can't make your own....you are locked in to their product.

Someone please tell me if I am wrong.

Regards, RAB

 

[Haughton Honey]

The only benefit I can see with a poly hive are it's insulation properties.

The problems begin when you get foul brood......you can't burn a poly hive in this country without being pounced upon by the local council Nazis.

 

[JCBrum]

You're not wrong, but ...........

Poly is possibly better than wood for most productive results.

Cost seems to be very important for most people.

By making my own hives (from ply and unwanted pallets mostly) I can get the cost down to about £25 per hive, which includes 300mm stand, OM floor, BB, 2 supers, Ashworth feeder, and pitched roof. Frames, wax and QE are extra costs, other than wax I try to acquire them s/h.

But, it's quite a lot of work. It takes me a week to make a hive, in between all the other jobs.

I think if I were going to buy new ready made hives I would seriously consider poly and I would be concerned about being locked in to one system.

Probably I'll just happily carry on as I am, due to inertia.

p.s. Waterproof preservative for ply hives is desirable too, and can add as much as £3 to the cost, but it does extend the useful life to 10 years or more if re-coated every couple of years or so. Most ply has waterproof glue nowadays and will last quite a few years (2 - 5) without any treatment at all.

 

[thurrock bees]

im interested in langs hives, i only have nationals, does anyone near me have them, as i would like to go tho the hive and see whats it like?

 

[Black Comb]

Hello
Newbie here.
I've acquired 2 colonies in nationals this year (having been on 3 beginners courses).
I'm lucky that I can call on several mentors, one of whom has langstroths with jumbo brood boxes.

Anyone else running these?

I 'm thinking of going this way in future and just wonder about the pros and cons.

thanks.

 

[BKF Admin]

Hello
Newbie here.
I've acquired 2 colonies in nationals this year (having been on 3 beginners courses).
I'm lucky that I can call on several mentors, one of whom has langstroths with jumbo brood boxes.

Anyone else running these?

I 'm thinking of going this way in future and just wonder about the pros and cons.

thanks.

My advice would be to always head a jumbo Langstroth with a first year queen,you need a lot of queen pheremone in a Jumbo to stop the bees making queen cells.

Have you handled the jumbo frames with bees and brood ?

 

[oliver90owner]

thurrock bees, PeterS

I run all 14 x 12s now. I look at my brood frames and think ' I have a couple of frames short of a full complement in my jumbo but that is far more than a full standard brood on a National. I could afford a dummy frame at each end.

Simple choice I reckon; if you feel your bees will cover the frames, go for the bigger size. Providing you can shift the heavier boxes easily, of course. Changing format can be a pain.

I think most bees these days need a brood and a half on a National and I don't like split brood boxes, unless it is for building up for splitting or queen rearing.

On my square boxes I generally run the frames 'warm way'. Drawing foundation against a flat surface that way is easier, pollen is stored on fewer frames.....might not want that if making up lots of nucs..... but I just put that in there to give people something to think about.

Regards, RAB

 

[Haughton Honey]

........... I don't like split brood boxes, unless it is for building up for splitting or queen rearing.

Regards, RAB

What about for building up a strong enough colony to provide a substantial foraging force during the nectar flows peak season?

 

[Poly Hive]

A few comments here. So far there has not been a case of foul brood in Poly so the burn rule has not been tested that I know of. It's a risk I am happy to take.

Top bee space is faster to work if working many hives.

I found that AMM happily worked a full Langstroth with on many occasions a full 9 frames of brood and a pollen comb, sometimes with pollen only on one side of the comb at that.

AMM also needs a brood and a half on Nationals and pretty much always has done. Nothing new there then.

The main improvement that poly gives is dryness. THAT makes a huge difference. I found that polys brooded later but went fast when they started up in Spring as compared to timber units.

PH

 

[Black Comb]

Yes I've handled frames several times and also lifted full double supers.

The keeper using them often only uses 9 frames + a dummy board.
Says that flexibility is there to use 10 for a prolific queen.

My nationals are very well used as I bought old and cheap as I didn't want to spend a fortune in my early days.

For me in future will be langstroth - just need to decide whether it's standard or jumbo brood box

Thanks for your help.

 

[oliver90owner]

No. One big box is generally enough for me. A Dartington with a dozen, or more, frames is big enough. Any extra can go with a nuc, or for queen rearing, or strengthening weaker colonies. Too much hassle with early swarming for me. Put out an extra hive, rather than hunting through 22 frames for the queen or losing her in the grass, or as a swarm.

Ymmv. Your choice. Good job we are not all clone beekeepers!

I might change when I retire, but by then humping jumbo National broods around will probably be a deciding factor - anyway, who would want a double brood on jumbos anyway!!!

Regards, RAB

 

[Haughton Honey]

Ymmv. Your choice. Good job we are not all clone beekeepers!

Indeed. All good points and yes, it's great that everyone is different and can find their own way more often that not!

 

[Santapan Barua]

Want to join beekeeping forum

Sir
I want join your beekeeping forum. So herewith I have attached my CV.

Curriculum Vitae


Name : Santapan Barua
Father’s name : Mihir Kanti Barua
Mother’s name : Tapati Barua

Permanent address:
Village : Mahamuni Pahartali
Post office : Mahamuni
Police station : Raozan
District : Chittagong - 4348
Country : BANGLADESH

Present address:
Industries Service Center, BSCIC, Vedvedi, Rangamati,
BANGLADESH.

Nationality : Bangladeshi (by birth)

Date of birth : October 25, 1962

Religion : Buddhist

Marital status : Married

Education : Secondary school certificate 1978 Comilla board (Bangladesh)
Higher secondary certificate 1980 Comilla board (Bangladesh)
B.A degree 1984 University of Chittagong (Bangladesh)
Experiences:
1) Working as a Coordination/technical officer (beekeeping) in Bangladesh Small & Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) since 1988
2) Worked as a lead trainer of beekeeping in BSCIC-ICIMOD Beekeeping project.
3) Worked as a lead trainer of beekeeping in ICIMOD-UNDP/CHTDF(Bangladesh).
4) Worked as a consultant of beekeeping in International Center For Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Headquarter Nepal/Project office Bangladesh.
5) Worked as a advisor of national NGO named ASHIKA, Eco-development, PAJURECO of Chittagong Hilltract in Bangladesh.
6) Worked as a lead trainer of beekeeping in UNICEF-CHTDB in Bangladesh.
7) Worked as a Coordination/Technical officer of Queen rearing apiary/Production cum demonstration center of BSCIC Beekeeping project in Bangladesh.
8) Worked as an Extension officer in charge of Development of Rural Industries BSCIC Bangladesh.
Job responsibilities/Descriptions:
Apiary management (both Apis mellifera & Apis cerana), Migratory beekeeping for honey production, Queen rearing (natural & grafting method), Honey harvesting & processing , Wax processing, Comb Foundation Sheet(CFSheet) making, Managing migratory apiary for cross pollination, Directing training program, Office & Personnel management, Information and Communication Technology, Marketing, Value chain analysis etc.
Trained up from:
BSCIC Bangladesh, Winrock International USA (Bangladesh)., Bangladesh Institute of ICT development BIID & ICIMOD Nepal., Small & Cottage Industries Training Institute Bangladesh on related field.
Publications:
1) Beekeeping Trainers’ Resource Book (Translated into Bangla), published by ICIMOD & UNDP Bangladesh.
2) What is honey ( in Bangla with Scientific description), published by ICIMOD & UNDP Bangladesh.

Computing skills:
MS word, MS excel, MS PowerPoint, Internet, Email etc.
Language skill:
English, Bangla and some Tribal languages of Chittagong hilltract of Bangladesh.

Telephone no: +880 01726012151
Email: [email protected]

 

[Finman]

For me in future will be langstroth - just need to decide whether it's standard or jumbo brood box

Thanks for your help.

Forgert the jumbo. It makes only troubles and no advantage.

 

[Finman]

Sir

Apiary management (both Apis mellifera & Apis cerana), Migratory beekeeping for honey production, Queen rearing (natural & grafting method), Honey harvesting & processing , Wax processing, Comb Foundation Sheet(CFSheet) making, Managing migratory apiary for cross pollination, ]

Seems to be high level beekeeper ....how many years experience?

 

[Somerford]

I think we should probably let Santapan Barua join as he/she looks to have superior beekeeping knowledge and would be a benefit to the forum !!

more the merrier !!

lol

S

 

[BKF Admin]

A cv to join the forum?
We are not the BBKA you know...

 

[Onge]

lol Admin

 

[Repwoc]

Welcome to the forum, Santapan Barua - since you've registered, you're already a member.