New Design Abelo National hive

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Just seen that Abelo are taking preorders for their new National hive. Not sure who wrote the description for it, but me thinks they was 3 to 4 parts cut..

From what I can decipher from the pictures it looks like the new roof sits flush on a recess on the crown board so easier to move around for commercial operations..although it will, have to be strapped down because if the crown board moves so does the roof..(for which they have provided a strap channel on the roof).
The new crown board is reduced to one central hole and one slot???? Don't understand the slot but all can be closed off/ ventilated as per your religion on hive ventilation. But should sit a round rapid feeder quite nicely.
Floor has a much smaller landing board and has a plastic tray vs the easliy breakable polystyrene one.Oh and the bodies of the hive/supers have ergonomic hand grips to make easier lifting...whatever they are....will have to visit and have a feel.
Looks good.....

Addendum....Okay the slot is for the plastic miller type feeder (shown in the pictures) that sits on the crown board and has the bee entrance at one end...so they can accerss the feeder via slot......had me a bit puzzled there.
 
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Thanks for that beefriendly
I’ll get my order in for some old style roofs before they are discontinued.
I can’t for the life of me see any advantage for a roof that doesn’t overlap the crownboard; for me at least
But I will have a look at them at the Welsh convention
 
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I've been looking into these recently, though hadn't seen the revamped design, most of mine are Maisemore Poly hives but as they keep creeping up the prices they are now comparable to other manufacturers prices whos designs seem more robust.
the down side being I'll have two lots of kit :(
 
I've been looking into these recently, though hadn't seen the revamped design, most of mine are Maisemore Poly hives but as they keep creeping up the prices they are now comparable to other manufacturers prices whos designs seem more robust.
the down side being I'll have two lots of kit :(

I have a couple of Abelo broods
All my hives sit on home made wooden floors so all the kit (Abelo/wood/Swienty) is interchangeable
All the hives have the Abelo roofs
 
I have a couple of Abelo broods
All my hives sit on home made wooden floors so all the kit (Abelo/wood/Swienty) is interchangeable
All the hives have the Abelo roofs

Im on the same set up but use Swienty roofs for one reason only. They are cheap!!!
 
I can’t for the life of me see any advantage for a roof that doesn’t overlap the crownboard; for me at least
More for commercial keepers moving large numbers of hives I would have thought. Currently you need to remove the roof before strapping up, now no need as it sits flush.
So quicker to prepare/smaller footprint=more hives per truck/time and motion..
I can see the advantages when I'm moving hives to the rape/borage/heather etc. Might just buy a few sets of crown-boards and roofs solely for my migratory keeping.
I don't think they are planning to discontinue the old style hive, as so many of us "hobbyists" like the overhanging poly roof.
Perhaps more a case of 2 moulds can make twice as many hives....
 
Yes.
I can see that immediately
I do like their boxes
Most of my broods are Swienty
I run top space and the Abelo are easier to screw/glue a thin strip on top to add space
 
The smaller floor is a must for moving but the roof is not such an issue as most moves are done minus the roof anyway. When off to the rape I will add a spare box before they go and just mesh the escape holes it works for me in the cool spring don’t fancy that in the summer though. Be interesting to see if rain gets around the edges but guess they must have tested it!!
 
At first glance it looks a bit of a confusion: not so much a new design as a National copy of a basic Lyson design: hand recess shape the same, roof vent holes the same, floor pretty similar... Wonder who really did the redesign?

Depth of the box hand recesses look to be a useful improvement (the old ones were always a bit of a fingertip job).

New roof tries hard but looks to be not quite flush with boxes, so if the intention was to reduce the hive footprint and call it a migratory roof, it doesn't quite hit the spot. As Ian pointed out, roof size is not an issue when moving bees, so why go down that road? Old roof design was simple and works: good overhang, thermally efficient and without irritating vents. Let's hope they keep making them.

For me, the floor has always been too big and I'll stick to wooden 460 square floors. Crownboard was an expensive weak point and probably still is; I save the expense and instead leave the Abelo box feeder on all year.
 
Roofs are an issue when moving hives. You need to remove them....before strapping up. They need to be stored whist on route. They take up space...far simpler to not have to do that.
 
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Sent an email and Damian had confirmed that they will continue with the old hives style which I'd much prefer to keep as everything is the same.

Should have got rid of those silly front vents/entrances holes though. Floor and crown board does look to be an improvement however and I wonder are they top or bottom bee space?
 
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First image up on the website:

Abelo-National-Hive-600x902.jpg
 
The super frames just sit on top of the wire and get stuck down.

You appear to have weird super frames in Wales.........mine all have bottom bee space which means they do no such thing..
 
Always had swienty poly.....so what are all the wholes for and what do you plug them with
 
Always had swienty poly.....so what are all the wholes for and what do you plug them with

They come with plugs

...and vents; they are interchangeable but I bang the white poly plugs in and have a bag full of the plastic vents which are never used. Can also be left open as an additional entrance.
 

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