Poly Nuc Boxes & Wasps

[Bates]

We have just bought 30 of these boxes, painted them with masonry paint and transferred nucs over from our wooden boxes ready to winter. Now I'm sure most are aware of the wasp infestation but this is unreal.

The boxes are now about 5 days into use and the wasps are chewing through the Poly and sucking on tiny droplets leaking from the feeders. There are hundreds even thousands on a select few of the boxes, not all. I have spoke to Roger direct and he says he has not experienced the same issues but has or is anyone else experiencing the same issues?

The solution I can think is to transfer them back and paint inside the feeders but it is just finding the time to do so and unnecessarily stressing and causing more robbing and drifting issues. We removed the remaining sugar today and I think we are going to line them with plastic bags till we can transfer them in the spring.

Pictures attached

Damage to boxes


Wasps

 

[user 6228]

So its the feeder being porous? The sugar on the surface draws the wasps who then gnaw at the the nuc?

 

[beebopalula]

I do not use the feeders partly because they need to be lined and are very difficult to clean if the bag leaks. If you paint them you will need to use gloss paint (3 coats) otherwise mould will grow in the poly.

 

[itma]

We have just bought 30 of these boxes, painted them with masonry paint and transferred nucs over from our wooden boxes ready to winter. Now I'm sure most are aware of the wasp infestation but this is unreal.

The boxes are now about 5 days into use and the wasps are chewing through the Poly and sucking on tiny droplets leaking from the feeders. There are hundreds even thousands on a select few of the boxes, not all. I have spoke to Roger direct and he says he has not experienced the same issues but has or is anyone else experiencing the same issues?

The solution I can think is to transfer them back and paint inside the feeders ...

Payns nuc internal feeder is simply best not used.

The boxes don't really need external painting. My Mk1 & 3 Mk2's (dial entrance) have some ID painting and that is it.

However IF you really intend using the feeder it does need INTERNAL painting to seal it. Probably with some sand for grip.
The 'soaking through' of syrup has previously been illustrated on here with a photo of a memorably pink-painted example showing external mould from syrup soaking through.
ISTR that internal painting of the feeder is advised in Payns instruction sheet.

The internal feeder is a pain as you can't clean it without removing the bees!
I simply seal it off and stuff the top with foam.

You can use a conventional frame feeder. A 4-pint round rapid feeder just fits inside the poly eke.

I've added plastic frame rails...

And for overwintering, the roof is a bit thin. Being thinner than the walls, any condensation tends to be above the bees - not ideal.
An eke stuffed with insulation seems a decent fix.
DrStitson (And DerekM?) advocate the use of a "cap" over the whole box, made from insulation board (Kingspan, etc).

 

[Bates]

Seems to be the case, but it has not affected all. Even with thick stuff such as Ambrosia. I see a lot of people selling these boxes as nucs without painting at all and obviously If I am experiencing the same issue they should be too?

 

[itma]

So its the feeder being porous? The sugar on the surface draws the wasps who then gnaw at the the nuc?

Last year I had the same problem with home-made mating nucs (ex broccoli boxes).
But it wasn't wasps that found the syrup and chewed inwards, it was slugs!
Still destroyed the boxes and messed up my fumbling efforts at Q rearing last year...

 

[user 6228]

Payns nuc internal feeder is simply best not used.

The boxes don't really need external painting. My Mk1 & 3 Mk2's (dial entrance) have some ID painting and that is it.

However IF you really intend using the feeder it does need INTERNAL painting to seal it. Probably with some sand for grip.
The 'soaking through' of syrup has previously been illustrated on here with a photo of a memorably pink-painted example showing external mould from syrup soaking through.
ISTR that internal painting of the feeder is advised in Payns instruction sheet.

The internal feeder is a pain as you can't clean it without removing the bees!
I simply seal it off and stuff the top with foam.

You can use a conventional frame feeder. A 4-pint round rapid feeder just fits inside the poly eke.

I've added plastic frame rails...

And for overwintering, the roof is a bit thin. Being thinner than the walls, any condensation tends to be above the bees - not ideal.
An eke stuffed with insulation seems a decent fix.
DrStitson (And DerekM?) advocate the use of a "cap" over the whole box, made from insulation board (Kingspan, etc).

We find the poly nuc Recticel cover doubles up as a very efficient solar wax melter.

 

[Bates]

You can use a conventional frame feeder. A 4-pint round rapid feeder just fits inside the poly eke.

And for overwintering, the roof is a bit thin. Being thinner than the walls, any condensation tends to be above the bees - not ideal.
An eke stuffed with insulation seems a decent fix.
DrStitson (And DerekM?) advocate the use of a "cap" over the whole box, made from insulation board (Kingspan, etc).

We were planning on using frame feeders but the nucs were strong that we decided to take through as 6 framers, we would normally only be doing 5 framers. I think that will be the case as we do not have or use any rapid feeders.

Sadly P****s did not supply any instructions with our pallet load but we had been advised to paint so we did.

We have ekes and have plenty of Celotex for roof insulation.

 

[Finman]

.
I know by experince that wasps can chew holes to polýbox, if they have a good reason.- Like robbing. You all have seen how they bite old wood and get their nest material.

But the reason is leaking feeding boxes, not polyboxes. You must do something to them, - even if the boxes are steel. Leaking feeding boxes are nightmare. That is why I do not make them myself.

 

[user 6228]

Because of the thermal stratification adding an eke increases the heat loss of the colony... (not opinion but measured). The eke moves the colony further away from the warmest spot in the box. If you have to add an eke you should further increase the effectiveness of the insulation.

 

[itma]

...
But the reason is leaking feeding boxes, not polyboxes. You must do something to them, - even if the boxes are steel. Leaking feeding boxes are nightmare. That is why I do not make them myself.

Sorry Finman, but you are not "expert" on this.

The feeder is a moulded recess in the poly nuc box.
It is part of the same single moulding.

 

[Finman]

We have just bought 30 of these boxes,

You can return those boxes. Pictures show that material is not proper to that purpose.

It is unreal that wasp bite boxes that way. 30 boxes is a big money, or even one.

Your country has consumer protection. Lean on that.

 

[Finman]

Sorry Finman, but you are not "expert" on this.

[/B].

Sorry but I am so good expert that my boxes do not leak. So good, you know.

It is Itma, is it, expert in what?

 

[itma]

...
Your country has consumer protection. Lean on that.

Sorry. Does not apply to "trade" sales - sales from one business to another.

 

[Finman]

Sorry Finman, but you are not "expert" on this.

The feeder is a moulded recess in the poly nuc box.
It is part of the same single moulding.

and heck in feeding box is so difficult, that I do not understand?

The world is full good feeding boxes without problems and esy to maintain.

I see what wasp do, and that does not need "expert".

Am I right ITma?

 

[Finman]

Sorry. Does not apply to "trade" sales - sales from one business to another.

in Finland we can return a product, which does not work.

 

[Excession]

Sorry. Does not apply to "trade" sales - sales from one business to another.

Still protected by the sale of goods and services act.

Finman has a point if it is just a handful out of 30, it could be defective materials or manufacture, reason for replacement.

Companies do have legal recourse if necessary, even if it is not stated in the contract.

 

[VEG]

If it is not fit for purpose then you can return

 

[Bates]

Come on guys I didn't ask for a slagging match here.

In my eyes yes Finman you say correctly that some do not seem fit for purpose if it is the case that some are leaking and some are not.

The problem does arise is I am not sure what rights I have as a business buying from a business but it is BIG money for us and deters us from a future purchase.

An issue with returning is time and money have gone into painting them and the bees are already in the boxes so I don't think its an option.

We will be treating shortly so no more feed will be used, I think for the final batches of feed we will have to line with plastic as a temporary measure and the rest will be fondant so no issues there. The ekes will be packed with Celotex (Kingspan) so not to worry.

I will email Roger again and see if there is anything that can be done regarding the purchase.

Thank you for all your input.

 

[Excession]

Don't settle for defective product.

Speak to the supplier, they are normally pretty reasonable, the may agree to an advance replacement as you have evidence of the flaws.

Get the advance replacements and prepare them in slow time for swap as necessary.

Agree the timeframe for returning the defective ones, if they even want them back... Most suppliers will recognise that a good resolution now will secure your business for a long time.

If they aren't amenable you still have a legal recourse that will compensate you for the hives, AND the time spent sorting this out.