Not getting a lot of joy

[Simon111]

....from Okehampton association, can anyone tell me what hives are best for mid-devon?

Thanks,
Simon.

 

[marcros]

....from Okehampton association, can anyone tell me what hives are best for mid-devon?

Thanks,
Simon.

Hi Simon

You pay your money, you take your choice. All are probably as appropriate as each other, each have their fans and their enemies.

It also depends a bit on where your apiary is- if you plan to move bees about a bit, the smaller hives- National, Smith etc are much lighter, and WBC is best avoided. If you plan to leave them in one spot, then it is less of an issue.

Mark

 

[mbc]

Its down to personal choice (and type of bee ). Mine would be:
top bee space national stocked with whatever bees do best in mid devon

 

[MuswellMetro]

....from Okehampton association, can anyone tell me what hives are best for mid-devon?

Thanks,
Simon.

whatever, other beekeeper in your area are using

i suspect that will be BS nationals either with brood colony in a super and standard brood or brood colony in a deeper 14x12 brood box

most beehives sold are bottom bee space nationals and on here Hivemaker and Tom Bick and many other make them...much better than some shop sold ones

Or ask rooftops for his Poly langstroths...more difficult to source nuc of bees for but they are Top Bee space, cheep and bloody good quality, however few in my BKA use langstroths, perhaps wait for rooftops new Poly National he is intendeing to sell later in the year.

Smiths,( TBS hive mainly scotland) Commercial ( BBS hive mainly east anglia) dartington/Beehuas (14x12 sideways hive) all have their devottes but are there any in your area

And for the hedgecoe hive demonstrated at thornes stand at Stoneleigh..did any one see it

 

[rae]

I'm guessing that Devon is warm-ish and mild with a long season. I'd go for nationals with 14x12 broods rather than standard.

Why?

1) Loads of nationals about, shouldn't bee too hard to get a frame of brood/stores in an emergency.

2) In a mild location, you're likely to fill a standard brood box pretty quickly.

Overall, it doesn't matter that much - the bees won't give a hoot.

 

[Brosville]

Stronghold of top bar hives! Lots of people using them and offering support!

 

[mbc]

Stronghold of top bar hives! Lots of people using them and offering support!

hippies !

 

[Brosville]

Dunno about hippies, but "cranks" certainly......... (A crank is simple, effective, and very efficient - and causes revolutions!)

 

[MuswellMetro]

Dunno about hippies, but "cranks" certainly......... (A crank is simple, effective, and very efficient - and causes revolutions!)