Polystyrene hives

[louiseww]

Has anyone out there tried these? I am thinking of getting a third hive and wondered what they were like. They look very solid as the polystyrene is compacted. Thanks
Louise

 

[PaleoPerson]

Yes, (assuming you mean polystyrene hives in general as you have not said which one specifically).

I have been using them for 6 months and appear to have more pros for me than cons.

There are many discussions about Poly Hives on this forum. I would advise you to buy one, try it and decide for yourself. I do not think you would go wrong with one.

 

[hedgerow pete]

the main man that realy knows his stuff is polyhive himself but the luck so and so is suffering another holiday away from blighty.

as a general note poly hives are better for the bees generaly than wood, but lose on costs

 

[oliver90owner]

It's a good job there are not too many sources around.

They should be injection moulded - they cannot get the density with compaction, is the way I understand it. Most of the expanders and compactors make densities between 10 and 50kg per metre cubed. Small items might be different, but not found any yet. hives need typically 100kg/metre cubed.

Beware of those that do not offer formats, compatibility and sizes for comparison and making sensible choices, or the newbie can eaily finish up with a product that is only 'almost' compatible with their present stuff. No real problems with the above and Langstroth format.

Polysystems can have their own system and be incompatible with others while each maintains some compatibility with the British Standard National.

Regards, RAB

 

[psafloyd]

There are many discussions about Poly Hives on this forum. I would advise you to buy one, try it and decide for yourself. I do not think you would go wrong with one.

Is yours a poly lang, Paleo, or have you tried the National?

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Going to be experimenting with a poly nuc this year - defo pleased with its ease of construction and looks good as well. I may have issues with frame size compatibility but will see how that progresses. Not convinved the bees themselves will care much either way most of the time.

 

[johnandyrob]

Iv just bought ten impressed with how strong they are ( high density ) but I haven't used them yet Regards Andrew

 

[louiseww]

Thanks everyone for your input. Saw them advertised in Beecraft - Nationals of course and looked on the website (are we allowed to say who on here?) If not here is the puzzle
www.M.... b..k...ing.co.uk - so may just try one and see.
Louise

 

[oliver90owner]

M.... b..k...ing.co.uk

You could ask Rooftops - he runs the outfit if it is what I think it is!!

I had a couple of his nucs - they are colonised and seem to be doing very well.

Since then, I have amassed another seven. All will be modified to take National frames. There is little cost to this, once the machining is set up.

The first two were symmetrical, but with just one entrance. Some of the rest may be modded non-symmetrical (to allow easier winter feeding) and some may be made so they can be used as double 3-framers (they are all Jumbos, so each side would still have a similar frame area to a deep National 5-frame nuc).

I will be trying a jumbo National poly when they are available. They will be no different from the rest of my kit, wrt bee space, so should be full compatibility for me.

As it says somewhere on the site, a National sized hive for the price of a nuc! Will be even better if splitting them into two 3-framers is satisfactory (don't see any reason why not, at this present time), that will be two nucs for the price of one! Good value for money either way, I reckon.

Regards, RAB

 

[DorsetB]

I have just taken a huge leap of faith after months of reading and asking questions, and bought 6 x Dadant HD Poly Hives and will be transferring my bees later this year, so unable to comment as yet.

I also bought two M.B. Dadant poly nucs which I am about to start making both Dadant and modified National frames for.

 

[PaleoPerson]

Is yours a poly lang, Paleo, or have you tried the National?

I Have both,
I am overwintering two colonies one on National and One (14 x 12 Frames) in Jumbo Langstroth nuc.

Overall, there are pros and cons for me with Poly and Poly has the lower cost when comparing 'apples with apples', by that, I mean compare the price of a poly hive vs a first quality cedar hive.

I have some redwood pine national parts that I dislike, Cedar first's and seconds that I generally like, Tom Bick cedar which is very very good, and Poly's which I like.

I am being deliberately vague in my response because of the differing ways in which work with their equipment and what is ones man's meat is another man's poison.

All I would say to anyone considering poly is to buy one, try it and make your own mind up.

Me? I like them a lot and have been very useful in surprising ways (see http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5724)

 

[Finman]

.
What is important in polyhive is that spring build up is faster than in uninsulated hives.
Warm makes possible to bees maintain large brood ball. Of course you loose the advantage if you keep mesh floor open or too big entrance in solid bottom. When bees have the high brood temperature in the hive, there is no moisture problems. the worse is some hole open in upper cover.

So the colony get sooner a large mass of foragers to hit on early yield.

 

[oliver90owner]

Warm makes possible to bees maintain large brood ball.

Finman is correct, but they will not build up as quickly as they might, if there is a shortage of brooding space. Feeding fondant, instead of the bees using up their own stored honey is one way of constricting that brood nest size at a crucial stage in the springtime. Also expect her to need another box for brooding, too.

Hives are sold as basic units (for pricing, marketing, etc). Have no misunderstanding about the importance for extra space and therefore the likelihood of needing extra boxes early, so any basic hive may need some extras before the first harvest.

Regards, RAB

 

[Finman]

Warm makes possible to bees maintain large brood ball.

Finman is correct, but they will not build up as quickly as they might, if there is a shortage of brooding space. Feeding fondant, instead of the bees using up their own stored honey is one way of constricting that brood nest size at a crucial stage in the springtime.

Regards, RAB

it does not go that way. Main question is number of bees, not space, how much brood bees can keep warm an feed.
Second question is time needed to raise new bees = 3 weeks brood cycle.

Spring is cold and especially nights even in UK. 0C night are not rare there.

Many think that feeding sugar to bees accelerate brood rearing, but it is not true.

Quite few understand the meaning of heat to spring build up. To keep 36C in brood area is a big job to bees. Think about how much you need to warm up your home if it should be 36C.