Polystyrene National Hives/nucs

Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum

Help Support Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Nellie

Field Bee
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
Messages
627
Reaction score
0
Location
uk
Hive Type
14x12
Number of Hives
3
I've seen a bit of discussion about poly hives and I'm reasonably keen to try out at least a Nuc, not least because of the lower cost involved but I've only seen Langstroth sized boxes for sale. Maybe my google-Fu is weak, but does anyone have any pointers as to where I might be able to obtain a poly National Nuc?
 
but he's on holiday touring the Western Isles - however he does have his laptop with him so watch this space.
 
I think they are great for making up nucs for people. Would be even better if they had a mesh floor.
 
That's the only disadvantage :toetap05:.
I bought 2 of these Nucs- and after my first trial at queen breeding had some bee loss, so gently transferred all frames to the other Nuc as I hated to see loads of debris on the floor- bacterial risk. They didnt demur.
 
I have three of the poly nucs from Park beekeeping. I over wintered the three of them on 14x12 National frames. They are a very good job, the integral feeder is a real plus. I have put a mesh floor on with some simple tinkering, just cut a hole in the slide out floor with a Stanley knife and pinned some mesh over the top. Highly recommended.
 
Cheers for the info guys, I had been to their website but read it all as Langstroth sized for some reason.

Nice to see some feedback on them as well.
 
One thing I didn't mention was the castellations which I don't like. I have found the j-style hive tool is much better for working these hives as the castellations mean that you cannot pry the frames apart, they need to be lifted apart. I haven't tried cutting the castellations away but I am sure it would be possible.
 
I will start by saying I do not recommend any poly other than obtainable from Hamish Robertosn at Struan apiaries, and from Murray McGregor at Denrosa.

Murry sells the "Canadian Nucs" and yes they are Langstroth. So...

By dint of some measuring, some mastic and a piece of ply they can be easily converted to National with the inserted ply making a very handy internal feeder.

I cut a 2" entrance, and two similar holes in the floor for ventilation. The bees just love them for the warmth and gallop away in them.

PH
 
Just thought I'd ask a really daft question:

Has anyone with polyhives had a woodpecker problem?
 
Poly hives are as prone to woodpecker damage as wooden hives - although in an attack I heard about in an apairy with both, the worst damage was done to a wooden hive - but probably because it was very old and a bit rotten.

A trick to keep the woodpeckers away is to cover the poly hive is a loose weave bag, the sort of material onions sometimes come in. The bag has to be loose on the hive so when the bird lands on the side it can't brace itself with its tail as the bag comes away from the hive and the bird ends up hanging almost upside down.

Exterior grade fillers can be used to repair the damage in the poly hive.
 
Last edited:
.
Yes, wood peckkers do holes and much sometimes.

If you put CD-ROM discets run them away sometimes and in hard place put a bird net over the hives.
 
Reports on these nucs from Park beekeeping might be enlightening with regards 'chewing' by bees. I have some e-mails which were decidedly off-putting for me. The density of the polystyrene in their product is likely still exceeded, by some suppliers, by more than 25% (unless they have increased it further, since I was in contact with them). I declined their offering, although the product seemed to fit my other criteria, and am eagerly awaiting news from Rooftops (Modern Beekeeping), here on the forum, regarding what I believe to be a much superior material. Not tried a polyhive yet but I can say one of the local BKAs purchased a pallet of polyhives from Modern bekeeping and have been pleased with the product.

Regards, RAB
 
I am in discussions with a Scandinavian supplier so as they say....

Watch this space.

PH
 
I can say one of the local BKAs purchased a pallet of polyhives from Modern bekeeping and have been pleased with the product.

:iagree:

I ordered 2x medium BB, floor, roof and feeder plus a few other items and I am very impressed with them. I will be painting them Buckingham green so it will blend with my other hives and the surrounding area (google maps proof)

Rooftops sent the package the next day and they arrived by 9 am the following day. Excellent service imho.
 
Thanks for the info on woodpeckers. Some in this area have probably picked up bad habits after the last winter and I expect to see some hives with holes in them this winter!
 
.
Take a normal polybox and split it into 2 pieces.
there is not much advantage about insulation if it has mesh floor.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top