P**nes Poly Hives

[Swarm]

insulated roof fix

This is a new insulated roof 'eke'. Excuse the use of an old porter escape board, it serves its purpose to demonstrate, which is just as well because I forgot to take the camera when I fitted this on the double brood at the apiary.
Anyway, you will get the idea. The eke is 3"x2", 498mm square, with a recess to enclose a framed crown board. I'll take a pic at the apiary next bit of fine weather.

 

[Skyhook]

This is a new insulated roof 'eke'. Excuse the use of an old porter escape board, it serves its purpose to demonstrate, which is just as well because I forgot to take the camera when I fitted this on the double brood at the apiary.
Anyway, you will get the idea. The eke is 3"x2", 498mm square, with a recess to enclose a framed crown board. I'll take a pic at the apiary next bit of fine weather.

Liking it!

.

 

[youngyoungs]

I've been using P's nucs and 14x12 hives for 2 years now. I'm only going to comment on the Hives and my ideal upgrades.

I swopped to a framed QE fairly quickly, but have also used the flat one they supply. I've also used their feeders (old style but modified), for the first time this autumn and they work fine.

What would I like:-
The ability to put supers under the brood box
Framed crown board and framed QE that match the external (and internal) hive dimensions
Insulated eke for treatments / fondant

What concerns me?

The longevity/maintenance of these hives - I have noticed chewing of the polystyrene this year, by wasps and bees. In particular, the circular manufacturing indentations seem to be a source of interest as a quick way to get in or out of the hive. In addition the very hot sun on the front of the hive welded the entrance block to the painted surface of the hive which caused some damage when I removed it.

I have been very happy with the hives. They are light and easy to work with, and the bees are really supported through the winter.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

I recently bought a Maisemores poly nuc for a rather sickly colony.

Today I added Kingspan in an eke, to beef up the insulation.

I'd also cut crown board from 4mm ply to replace the rather flimsy clear sheet that came with it. I thought it was cut to size, to fit inside between ekes (it's a 14x12 nuc) but clearly I'd got it wrong as the top eke wouldn't sit flat. I wasn't prepared to mess about, and let the bees get cold so I removed it.

As I have only the one poly nuc I can't now work out what I did wrong.
Can anyone with more experience please give me an idiot's guide to putting a solid crown board on a Maisemore's poly nuc, please?


Dusty

 

[Magwat]

I've made several crown / feeder boards for the poly nucs from correx & have found you need to just nip off the corners for the eke to fit over comfortably.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Top bee space please !!

Optional: leave the rails out.

 

[itma]

I recently bought a Maisemores poly nuc for a rather sickly colony.

Today I added Kingspan in an eke, to beef up the insulation.

I'd also cut crown board from 4mm ply to replace the rather flimsy clear sheet that came with it. I thought it was cut to size, to fit inside between ekes (it's a 14x12 nuc) but clearly I'd got it wrong as the top eke wouldn't sit flat. I wasn't prepared to mess about, and let the bees get cold so I removed it.

As I have only the one poly nuc I can't now work out what I did wrong.
Can anyone with more experience please give me an idiot's guide to putting a solid crown board on a Maisemore's poly nuc, please?


Dusty

Dusty, yes Maisemore sell the Payns poly nuc - same unit.

Yes, you probably need to round off the corners.
The (square-cornered) plastic one is noticeably smaller than it might be - BECAUSE it has square corners!

For checking, you can offer up your ply on top of the top eke - ie take just the roof off.
Insight: the top of the eke is dimensionally the same as the top of the brood box and the top of the lower eke! Trim the ply so that it is just a couple of mm smaller than the eke all round - even in the corners. Check by just temporarily setting it on top.

Note that a thicker coverboard means that there is less overlap between the plastic sections - a potential cold spot - and that the tower is accordingly less 'stable'. So, an extra brick (or gargoyle) on the top ...

A ply coverboard is useful for supporting a feeder -- BUT -- the clear coversheet is awfully good for checking on what they are up to with absolutely minimal disturbance!
If/when you might slip some fondant in there, the clear one allows you to check it without lifting the coverboard.
Transparency is a wonderful property!

 

[Madge]

I recently bought a Maisemores poly nuc for a rather sickly colony. ... I'd also cut crown board from 4mm ply to replace the rather flimsy clear sheet ...

Dusty, yes Maisemore sell the Payns poly nuc - same unit.
...

Note that a thicker coverboard means ... a potential cold spot - and that the tower is accordingly less 'stable'. ...

A ply coverboard is useful for supporting a feeder -- BUT -- the clear coversheet is awfully good for checking ...

I agree with Itma. I can't see why you would want to exchange the flimsy for a ply crown board. I've drilled a feeder hole in the flimsy crown board and support the hole with four small bits of wood so that there's no sagging when a feeder or candy is placed on top of it. I use a soft insulation (an offcut from a slab of wool insulation (it doesn't get soggy)) so that it can wrap around the feeder. As Itma said - you can also see what's going on.
Kitta

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Thanks both. Very helpful.

Dusty

 

[Swarm]

This is how it looks on the hive ...

 

[Swarm]

This is how it looks on the hive ...

 

[Luminos]

Looks really good, Swarm - love the colours

 

[Swarm]

Thanks, Luminos. Detail is lost a bit, the photo comes up too small, do you think it's because it was taken with an iphone?
I decided to break up the blue colour with some dazzle camo, it's quite effective.

 

[sipa]

Hey Swarm

How much £ for, say x 100 ?

 

[ultreen1]

Cuprinol shades? Forget me not blue? Am I correct swarm?


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[Swarm]

Sorry, no. It was an old tub of emulsion, can't remember the shade.

 

[ultreen1]

That's one of mine, very close match!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Is that a wooden super on top of the brown hive?
Doesn't rain get in?

 

[Swarm]

Is that a wooden super on top of the brown hive?
Doesn't rain get in?

They are designed to take poly or wood. There is a flat, mating face that takes a wooden super and the 'excess' ledge slopes downwards to facilitate run off. Take a look at the blue one, that ledge you see below the 'pillars' has a gentle downward slope
I thought it looked more purple, it reminded me of yours.

 

[Cazza]

Cuprinol shades? Forget me not blue? Am I correct swarm?


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I think that is Forget Me Not blue.
Mine are Suffolk Pink or Garden Shades Seagrass.
Cazza