P**nes Poly Hives

[FreeFall]

...unless I leave the clear cover off, then they can all fly up and drown in the syrup.

I have the old style feeders, I'm not sure what the difference is apart from the fact you say you have removable inserts. Anyway, with the old style you can't use the clear coverboard because it stops the roof sealing with the raised partitions; allowing the bees direct access to the syrup rather than walking down the ramp. I also chuck a handful of dried grass/straw into the access channels to help.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Am just cursing because I did a split yesterday into a new P****s poly Nat and put the poly feeder on top, peeped in just now and I have tooooo many drowned bees. I have used similar wooden feeders on cedar hives before and am pretty sure have set it up right. What has gone wrong? Are these feeders simply not fit for purpose, or what? I can't see the point in putting floats in because any sinking bee who clambers onto a float will still have to submarine under the barrier to get back in the hive, unless I leave the clear cover off, then they can all fly up and drown in the syrup.

What I did was make a furrow in the underside of these inserts and slide in a piece of plastic netting, shutting off the gap. The bees can't get through and the netting is removable for cleaning or feeding fondant.

 

[Headnavigator]

Thanks all for your ideas/suggestions. Just been up and cleared out even more dead bees, it's heartbreaking. Have dropped narrow wooden frame strips into the channel so they can stay on the surface, will put some straw in later for more traction as they go up/down.
Something is seriously wrong with the design for this to happen with no warning or suggestion that infill of some kind may be necessary. Reminds me of the early plastic frame feeders that many fell prey to.
Silly me to have assumed it would all have been well-thought out and bee-bomb-proof.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Do you want a photo of what I did?

 

[Headnavigator]

Yes please Erichalfbee, I would be really grateful. A bit hamstrung for time until the w/e but it would be nice to make a decent job of it!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ok will post one in the morning.

 

[Itchy]

Only one thing to do with the old style Pns feeder is to fill it with foam and use it to better the insulation of the skinny lid

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes please Erichalfbee, I would be really grateful. A bit hamstrung for time until the w/e but it would be nice to make a decent job of it!

Here you are

The strange looking "frames" on the top are to keep bees in when fondant is on and you take the top off (using the same green mesh) though I doubt I would ever feed fondant this way

 

[Ely]

The very few times I've needed to feed I found it easier to feed the same way you would with a wooden hive, my choice being rapid feeder. I have a paynes poly feeder but find I never use as it is harder to clean and more of a faff to use.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes, I must admit I prefer a rapid feeder as I visit my hives every day.
Easier to take off when needed, too. Infact I don't really know why I bought this one. I might sell it on.

 

[itma]

Only one thing to do with the old style Pns feeder is to fill it with foam and use it to better the insulation of the skinny lid

No, the new lid is worth buying as an upgrade. Good overlap over a proper framed (see-through) coverboard. And an easy loose fit over the box sides.
It even looks less bad!

I've bought one old-style feeder to make into a "heater unit". Then I can use spare poly hive boxes to make a honey warming "cabinet".
Idea from Paynes £200 "Venus" heater unit.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Itma, let us know how you get on please.
I have two MB national boxes and a feeder that I won't use. Looks like I could use those.

 

[Conniecello]

P poly nuc!

I just popped over to Hassocks and bought a poly nuc. Looking forward to reviving my no. 2 hive in it. Reason, I squished the drone laying Queen and the colony is too small for an 11 frame brood box. As the nuc has inbuilt feeder, I hope to save that colony. I started keeping bees this March, and now have 3 colonies and a lot of stories to tell!

 

[itma]

... As the nuc has inbuilt feeder, I hope to save that colony. …

I and many others dislike and don't use the inbuilt feeder. I block it with a strip of sponge and put the solid plastic blocking piece into the slot in the feeder entrance.

If you insist on using the integral feeder, be sure to seal the inside of that part with (bee friendly) paint BEFORE letting syrup into the thing.
And be sure to put the small Queen Excluder across the feeder entrance to keep Q completely out of there.
Some put straw in the feeder to reduce bees drowning.

Remember that you can't clean the feeder while there are bees in the nuc … !


There are lots of threads on here discussing this feeder.

I like the product (I have 5 so far) - although the roof needs to be thicker and I do block off the feeder. I'm still undecided whether adding frame rails (at the expense of the top beespace) is a good or a bad thing.

 

[roche]

Well - after nearly three seasons with the Paynes poly national, I have come to the conclusion that they are OK as a sort of large nuc.

The mould indentations leave quite serious weak points in between supers, which allows robbing to occur far too easily.

The lack of interchangeability between the supers and brood make manipulations difficult - can't put a super on the poly base...

There are some blind holes in the roof that wax moth love - in fact they ate a stored brood box as well.

We will be using them as a brood box only, for smaller colonies. We aren't giving up on polystyrene, the bees do seem to do better, we just haven't found a poly box yet that meets all the design challenges.

 

[joctcl]

I have poly nationals P ynes and bee ive supplies, the latter is more robust and performs better, but is also bulkier and more expensive.
The entrance is recessed into the base and watching the bees it looks better protected and easier to defend from robbing.
3rd year running Poly now and will be using timber for emergencies only.
Mods I have done are got the dremel out to make recesses for crown boards on roofs and bases of supers to accommodate QE.

 

[Swarm]

Well - after nearly three seasons with the Paynes poly national, I have come to the conclusion that they are OK as a sort of large nuc.

The mould indentations leave quite serious weak points in between supers, which allows robbing to occur far too easily.

The lack of interchangeability between the supers and brood make manipulations difficult - can't put a super on the poly base...

There are some blind holes in the roof that wax moth love - in fact they ate a stored brood box as well.

We will be using them as a brood box only, for smaller colonies. We aren't giving up on polystyrene, the bees do seem to do better, we just haven't found a poly box yet that meets all the design challenges.

Bit of filler for the indents, cut the lugs off or make a decent floor, bit of filler for those holes. Not that much hassle.

 

[joctcl]

A hot knife or old chisel with tip heated by blowtorch will also slice and seal at the same time, try to do it in two stages without taking a big lump out to start.

 

[roche]

I have poly nationals P ynes and bee ive supplies, the latter is more robust and performs better, but is also bulkier and more expensive.
The entrance is recessed into the base and watching the bees it looks better protected and easier to defend from robbing.
3rd year running Poly now and will be using timber for emergencies only.
Mods I have done are got the dremel out to make recesses for crown boards on roofs and bases of supers to accommodate QE.

The Beehive supplies version is next on the list to try...

 

[joctcl]

Yep they are the thickest even though the density of the EPS is the same and my best 14x12 performers.
I'm in a windy location so am a big fan on landing boards. So modded by cutting a recess and inserting a plastic slate.

The duck tape is holding in entrance block which I also made slightly wider.
I painted them red subsequently to remind me they are in.