National or Rose

[King Scavenger]

Hi, I am nearly ready to get my bees but I am not sure what hive system I should get. National or Rose. Has anyone got any advice?

 

[pargyle]

Hi, I am nearly ready to get my bees but I am not sure what hive system I should get. National or Rose. Has anyone got any advice?

14 x 12 in my book ....

 

[Marton]

Near end of year one on 14*12. I can't understand any other option I terms of balancing brood space with number of frames to inspect.

I may live to regret this assertion. ....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BeeJayBee]

Hmmm ... Langstroth!

Sorry!

I prefer the larger brood box, the shorter frame ends/lugs, top bee space. As I don't have the skills to alter a kit hive nor to make one of my own, then this is the only choice for me.

If you're seriously considering the Rose one size box system, then make sure you can easily lift one that's full of honey from about chest height.

 

[oliver90owner]

Buy both and then make a decision before you get too much kit of one kind. That is the way I went , originally, many years ago. My choice was National frames v Langstroth (and if National, deep or extra deep). I chose National and then converted to extra deeps after a year or so.

 

[YorkshireBees]

Buy both and then make a decision before you get too much kit of one kind. That is the way I went , originally, many years ago. My choice was National frames v Langstroth (and if National, deep or extra deep). I chose National and then converted to extra deeps after a year or so.

Although I inherited a lot of my initial kit, which swayed me towards National, given the chance to start again I would probably go Langstroth but again spending a bit of money and being able to compare them side by side makes a lot of sense.

 

[newportbuzz]

are you planing on using the rose method aswell?


I picked poly nationals for myself and run something similar to the rose idea without breaking the brood nest. They get heavy tho.


If just for general beekeping id use national or possibly even 12*14


Unless you have a bad back then defo use rose or even supers.

 

[King Scavenger]

Many thanks, all, for your reply's and, as I can build my own, I will try both and see the outcome.

 

[Midland Beek]

I do not like brood spread over two boxes, hence my use of MD. But if I were starting again I would go Langstroth Jumbo because with MD weights are a bit too high.

But if you are after second hand kit, then National is more available than any other hive type.

 

[toplever]

Lucky lad Kingscavenger if you can make all types of hive. I have Langstroth and National but am going to try out those Rose hives - those and the Rose system's got to have something going for it if you are hoping to upscale beyond Norm's three hives. Lots of adverse about the Rose system by beekeepers who appear never to have used them. Up the Rose revolution! Man the barricades!!

 

[madasafish]

I am converting from TBH/warre and decided the Langstroth Jumbo route made most sense...from the point of view of top beespace (a must in my view) and size..

But then I am starting from scratch on framed hives.. I took my time, and did my sums...

 

[Tomo]

Commercial Brood box, national supers, floor etc. Supers are easy to lift and more space in BB. This setup is used alot over here in north essex/suffolk.

 

[DulwichGnome]

If you have not done so already, get your head in as many boxes of bees as you can. Try handling a frame full of bees and brood of each type, local associations sometimes run different hives. Then decide what is best for you.

Mike.

 

[King Scavenger]

Thanks, toplever, I will build Rose hives as I have looked into them and it looks like a better way to keep bees. I will join the revolution!!!
I will keep the home fires burning!!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I will build Rose hives !

I will keep the home fires burning!!

In a few years time when you get a proper hive, at least you'll have plenty of fuel

 

[King Scavenger]

Tut Tut!!

 

[Edwardking]

Go for Commercial now while you still can! This'll give you the greatest flexibility, decent brood size, manageable supers.

 

[ratcatcher]

Im currently using nationals and poly nucs in the garden, but have some commercials to install over our woodland, I'll be running one of them using the rose method and just using all supers on it, all with just 25mm wax starter strips in the frames, will be interesting to compare the results next year alongside the normal commercials.
looks like inspections are easier, AS are easier and I'll take honey as cut comb

 

[oliver90owner]

using the rose method and just using all supers on it, ... and I'll take honey as cut comb.

Shirley if it is the rose system they will be one size of box, so not supers!

With no queen excluders and all frames being able to be brooded in, you are going to be chewing on cocoons and larval waste? Not everyone would want that. I would suggest you do not try to market any surplus!

 

[ratcatcher]

using the rose method and just using all supers on it, ... and I'll take honey as cut comb.

Shirley if it is the rose system they will be one size of box, so not supers!

With no queen excluders and all frames being able to be brooded in, you are going to be chewing on cocoons and larval waste? Not everyone would want that. I would suggest you do not try to market any surplus!

stop calling me shirley,lol

the rose method is using all one size of box and frames, supers will be all same box and frames, no difference there

if you watch the videos by tim rowe you see that at the start of year the queens brood maybe in as many as 5 boxes, but then into the later part of year as the brood shrinks, boxes are added for stores, and those are the ones pinched by us, it may be less honey than what you would get from a national or similar type hive, but some of us keep bees not just for the honey

http://youtu.be/XyZ-5AjXfHE