Polly hives

[Joseph Thom]

I am about to start bee keeping and am just starting to set out my garden for next May can anybody tell me of any problems that I may have if I go for Polly hives instead of wood.

 

[B+.]

can anybody tell me of any problems that I may have if I go for Polly hives instead of wood.

Its difficult to say without knowing what style hive (e.g. Langstroth, National, 14*12, etc) you intend to use.
In general, poly is better insulated but you can't frame-sterilize them the way you would do with wood so you have to use other means.
I suggest you register on Beebase and read the advisory pages (http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/index.cfm?pageId=209)

 

[Heather]

May I suggest Cillit Bang Bleach and Hygiene for cleaning Poly hives. Melts propolis, without damaging.
But wood is always my first choice. Lasts for as long as your beekeeping life, given good care.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have both. I do like the poly, the bees do very well in them but they are not as easy to clean as wood.
It has taken me four years to adjust top space modifications in the poly to my satisfaction( If I had gone Langstroth it wouldn't have been a problem)
To be honest the wooden hives are easier to work with. All my wooden ones have PIR cosies in winter and deep PIR roofs in summer. I get supers drawn in poly boxes then drawn frames go in 10 space wooden boxes.

 

[Itchy]

Watch out for wax moth, they will perforate them.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

May I suggest Cillit Bang Bleach and Hygiene for cleaning Poly hives. Melts propolis, without damaging.
But wood is always my first choice. Lasts for as long as your beekeeping life, given good care.

Watch out for wax moth, they will perforate them.

Get your defence in first by using Certan aka B401.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Watch out for wax moth, they will perforate them.

Yes, people say that and I have seen horrific pictures of tunnelled boxes but my bees have been in poly for seven years now and there hasn't been a whisper of wax moth anywhere

 

[Swarm]

Wax moth is a far greater worry with poly, they really can make a mess.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Wax moth is a far greater worry with poly, they really can make a mess.

Do you get that where you are, Steve.
I don't like the idea of a poly box on a poly floor. Always thought the Paynes ones were a real detritus trap. I put my boxes on wooden floors

 

[Poly Hive]

Dear OP.

Having usewd poly since 1990 I think it was I have had no issues with wax moths.

I have had the odd wood pecker hole but they will drill timber boxes too.

I have been all poly now for many years apart from 3 wooden supers I cannot seem to get rid of...lol.

It is my experience that bees just do better in poly, end of. That in turn leads to a higher chance of a honey crop and especially comb honey production.

If I was starting out it is simply obvious to go poly. The cleaning of them is simple enough and certainly not the "problem" that some think.

PH

 

[Beefriendly]

Always thought the Paynes ones were a real detritus trap. I put my boxes on wooden floors

Like most of you never had wax moth problems in poly hives....apart from if you leave the varroa boards in on the Paynes poly floors over winter, the wax debris and extra heat acts like a magnet for them. Found a couple of thriving writhing colonies in the spring. but never had them chew into the poly. Me thinks it's too dense for them. Similar with the apidea mating nucs, forgot to clean out the frames before winter....ohh dear,,,,,,, absolutely chock o'block with larvae/cocoons and the like....but they never chewed or bored their way into the poly and those apidea's seem to be made of softer poly than the paynes hives.
Not saying it doesn't happen, but it seems to be quite rare when it does.

 

[Clemcook]

Im a new bee keeper and I love the poly the only real annyoyence for me is it's a pain to modify and not all places sell the kit so you end up buying things from different supplier's which means more postage costs however, I'm happy with mine

 

[drex]

I have two old Paynes poly hives. Aesthetically I prefer wood. While still being used by the bees, have had several wax moth tunnels in the brood boxes. The colonies were both of good strength too.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Im a new bee keeper and I love the poly the only real annyoyence for me is it's a pain to modify and not all places sell the kit so you end up buying things from different supplier's which means more postage costs however, I'm happy with mine

What modifications have you tried?

 

[Clemcook]

I've muddled a crown board with feeder hole out of correx for a rapid top feeder. It's the eke that gets me... Really gets me!!

I thinks because of the wide rim, I get confused onr how the top will go on, I'm a 30 something female and not (shamefully) built anything in my life!!