Polystyrene Nucs

[internetgamble]

Just bought a poly nuc from Park Beekeeping Supplies.

Not having tried any polystyrene hive products before, I have a few questions.

1. Doesn't appear to be any ventilation allowance, apart from the small entrance.

2. The sliding floor is made from solid polystyrene too - Seems a good idea to have a mesh floor - I'm tempted to cut a slot and fix some mesh over it.

3. How does one clean the hive? I assume sod crystals and/or bleach mixture.

4. Would it benefit from some vent holes in the roof?

5. Anyone else tried these and what pros and cons associated with them?

Cheers

Internetgamble

 

[hedgerow pete]

why waste time cut out the middle men and go direct to polyhive next time, and as for your questions its polyhive to answer

 

[Poly Hive]

I have not bought from that source.

I should point out there are two densities of poly products, one is harder than the other. There is a price difference. I have literally felt the difference in quality. You surely can read between the lines....

I buy nucs that have no holes in them at all. I mod them to suit my beliefs. I CERTAINLY would not make ventilation in the roofs.... *shudder* Totally self defeating that idea.

For info I checked my packages this afternoon and the ones in poly are two frames of brood ahead of the timber units. They were like for like on "graduating" from poly nuc to poly or timber brood box.

PH

 

[Finman]

.
It is not much advantage about poly or insulation if you open the floor and let heat to escape.
Let the nuc be like you bought it. If hive is hot, you see it from number of ventilating bees.

 

[RoofTops]

I find with poly nucs you need an entrance hole at least 30mm in diameter otherwise the bees can overheat in the summer sun unless you can shade them.

The original Canadian poly nucs were fed by feeding syrup directly into the nuc so the bottom of the frames touched it. It sounds mad but it works - I've tried it.

 

[Poly Hive]

That is true yes.

I mod them so they take the National frame and have an inbuilt feeder as well.

I have another 6 arriving from Swienty this week. Now why would I want to pay the freight from Denmark hmm?

PH