New Beehaus arrived

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oliver90owner

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Well, the new hive arrived yesterday. Not yet checked it all out, but expect it to be good.

I am still not decided whether to use it or move it!

My gut feeling is the latter, but we will see.

My take on it is that the Dartingtons are superior in most departments excepting the few 'faddy' areas; and inferior, in my opinion, in none that are remotely important to me or to the bees. Certainly it would need a few modifications to make it a decent practical hive (for me) in it's present form.

Doubtless a few comments are expected. Or maybe some will be too gob-smacked to put keys to work.
 
Hooray!

Am glad you're going to give it a try.

Look forward to reading your views on it.
 
I saw Hivemakers Beehaus and quite liked it. When I`m competent with my wooden ware I might buy a second hand one to play with.

Darren.
 
Hope all goes well for you and your new beehaus Rab, i will look forward to hearing about your future trials and tribulations with Anxiety,which i'm sure will be made aware to all in your future posts on this subject.
 
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I can't believe this. It must be a present, as although we've never met I'm sure your pockets are stitched to stop you spending.

An Omlet sales promotion to selected beeks? Do tell.
 
PeterS,

Don't have to stitch my pockets - I make sure I have no money. If I don't spend it 'her indoors' will!

What I look for is value for money. That is one of the most important considerations and includes fitness for purpose.

I note that some of the suggested modifications/improvements/shortcomings, however one might refer to them, have already applied compared to the example on which I have commented previously. And at least one other point of detail that I had overlooked on my first cursory examination of the product. So to be fair, omlette are making the improvements and the next model should be a leap ahead.

Some may need to read my opening post again - more carefully.

I said, "My gut feeling is the latter, but we will see.". I see absolutely nothing in my post to countermand that statement so am wondering why people try to make out I am doing something (entirely?) different.

Not much time to investigate the box today as need to buy another car (value for money, again) so hunting out the genuine from the bull dung.

Regards, RAB
 
I quite like the look of the Beehaus when I saw it on TV. I have been keeping bees now for 25 years in Commercial Hives and I wondered if this hive might be a breakthrough in Beekeeping.
I would like to try it but the price puts me off, although I expect that it will come down as everyone seem to think that its too expensive.
The problem I have of course is that it takes National frames. My present Commercial hive is now bursting at the seams with 3 suppers on, so I'm glad its not a National!
I also feel that its a bit soon to lash out on a hive that's nearly half a grand, it might turn out to be a flop.
Does anyone remember Bri-Nylon? Everyone thought it was wonderful when it first came out. They made shirts, sheets and ladies overalls, designed as dresses from it, but it turned out to be a disaster.

Yes I like the idea, but I'll wait and see what beekeepers are saying about it in a couple of years time before I spend that sort of money on a bee hive.
 
Well, It has been colonised. Mine will be less leaky and even warmer than it was (but certainly no better than my Dartingtons) and the supplied under-board will be used somewhere else!

Somerford,

Sorry but missed/forgot to answer your Jan 30 post.

The car is a 607, even though I was thinking a Disco might be a possibility (and my last Landy was a SIII 88 diesel).

'Her indoors' has since done about 6k trouble-free miles, apart from writing it off recently (uneconomic repair for the 'dealer-replace-all' crew).

Victor,

With space for about fifteen 14 x 12 frames before moving up into the supers, there is adequate space, I can assure you, for a fair amount of stores - unless someone wants to keep two colonies in the one box.

Both my Dartingtons had 2 National supers on them last week (one moved to a National format recently), although not with 15 frames below. Main downsides are you cannot (easily) re-arrange the brood frames (top box to underneath for example), queen rearing is less easy (cloakboards etc) - but possible with some lateral thinking, and moving them.

If you can cut ply-board square and to size they are a doddle to build and only about a hundred quid, before you fill it with frames and put (national) supers on. Half supers, honey boxes, fancy legs, gabled roofs, etc all add extra, but all items are not all needed. Just that little bit 'more complete', compared with the plastic variant, for a lot less money.

The Dartington has been around for, what, 25 years or more? Some love it, some hate it. I think they have a niche and am very content with mine. The plastic one is only a variation on the theme.

Regards, RAB
 

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