Poly Hive's?

[mbc]

Agreed - now just need to find a poly national sized feeder - anyone?

Paynes now have photos, including poly national feeders, but they're not ready for despatch untill the end of oct

 

[Nic Rhodes]

I have some MB poly QE but to be honest I have hardly used them but no issues so far. The bees go out rather than up in poly so may not even bother next year at all.

C Wynne also does a National poly feeder

also Bee Hive Supplies does a feeding Eke which they say folds flat

 

[johnandyrob]

I have 20 mb langstroths and im concerned about comparability. What happens if some thing happens to mb or if paradise stop making them or change design will i be left with a load of kit i cant get spares or compatible extrers. The first thing I thought about paynes hives is that the floor. It has a built in landing board. I would find this a hassle when taking hives to and from the heather.

 

[Teemore]

The first thing I thought about paynes hives is that the floor. It has a built in landing board. I would find this a hassle when taking hives to and from the heather.

You could always build your own OMFs out of salvaged timber.....

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Just had a look at the Paynes soon to be released 14x12 - looks pretty good to my inexperienced eye (Click here). Anyone know who makes them?

How are people getting on with their nucs - feeder issues aside?

 

[jakethedog]

The first thing I thought about paynes hives is that the floor.

agreed, but i also like PH's suggestion of homemade floors; probably save best part of £10 on each after buying the mesh.

Personally I can see myself having a go with swienty's langstroth with home made floors. the only real put off is the need to make new roofs (which'll fit both existing wood components and the poly) as well. OK not a major issue but enough to slow the final decision.

 

[Nic Rhodes]

How are people getting on with their nucs - feeder issues aside?

worked well but wasps are nibbling the poly (to be expected I think that some insects / animal will have a pop at all hives).

 

[drstitson]

paynes/WPF nucs worked fine for me. no probs with feeder. best used with plastic sheet CB as the roof is weak point and easily propolised down.

only concern is thickness of the poly over winter.

 

[Winker]

paynes/WPF nucs worked fine for me. no probs with feeder. best used with plastic sheet CB as the roof is weak point and easily propolised down.

only concern is thickness of the poly over winter.

i have one on the go, bursting to the seams with bees. I never gave the thickness any thought.

 

[Into the lions den]

Agreed - now just need to find a poly national sized feeder - anyone?

I have them. I am not making a commercial offer on here though, so try Wynne jones, or failing that get back to me in private.

 

[oliver90owner]

You could always build your own OMFs out of salvaged timber.....

Agreed, or simply transport the hives around the other way, or have an eke/ feeder/ super under alternate hives so the landing boards overlap each other to save a little space.

There is usually a simple enough way around problems for most. Life is a compromise and beekeeping is all part of it.

RAB

 

[Poly Hive]

FWIW the original poly I had ex Germany and no longer available had a small, 2" alighting board as part of the floor and very useful they were too.

I took some 40 odd of them to the heather in my 8x4 trailer with no space issues at all as they stacked if I remember 5 sideways and three long ways to a deck, then went over the other way to help hold the stack. I usually went three high, and filled the space at the end with the bricks and stands, as the stands came apart into two flat bits of wood. They were half checked to make a cross.

PH

 

[Into the lions den]

FWIW the original poly I had ex Germany and no longer available had a small, 2" alighting board as part of the floor and very useful they were too.
PH

Look at the photos Pete. I suspect what you are talking about was the floor that was made by Warnholz, then by Stehr when they took over the mould, then recopied by Warnholz later. It is still sold today as the 'Kombi' floor by Swienty, and is the one we choose above all others and use it only on the poly Langs. The landing section is less than 2" though i think, just a bit bigger front than rear, but in loading this is not an issue as the roof is the same size as the floor. They are also the floor we designed our travel screens to fit with and are not expensive.......I buy them for about 8 pounds and fit good quality stainless steel mesh to them rather than the supplied grids (which we discard), the mesh is not cheap though, at almost 4 pounds a square, but will last as long as I will.

 

[Winker]

Paynes now have photos, including poly national feeders, but they're not ready for despatch untill the end of oct

Just took the jump and bought 2 Complete Poly 14x12 Jumbo National Hive - Empty (No Frames) along with 2 Poly National Feeder from them. I will tell you how they look when they get here at the end of the month

 

[Nic Rhodes]

I will get to see the Paynes stuff on saturday but can confirm they are British made, not imported . They do look nice.

 

[herefordshirehoney]

Does anyone want to share there poly setup photos? I'm keen to see how you've strapped them down, what stands used, etc.

 

[Swarm]

Does anyone want to share there poly setup photos? I'm keen to see how you've strapped them down, what stands used, etc.

Have you looked at ITLD's albums? Some photos of hives out on the heather, it all looks quite pretty. The orange and lime coloured boxes reminded me of those tic tac double packets heh

 

[Poly Hive]

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7967&page=2

an origional floor with out the lugs on the corners on the left, and a home made floor with lugs on the right.

If memory serves, as I no longer have any courtesy of a pyromaniac farmer, the landing board was a touch longer than the roof.

PH

 

[Swarm]

So with no option of scorching, what method of sterilisation is recommended? I tend to avoid things that require a chemical of some sort.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Virkon