Rumours about poly hives ...

[pbh4]

I went to a very interesting and informative meeting of the Leicestershire and Rutland BKA yesterday evening. After a talk about wax moth and a cup of tea, there was an "Any Questions" style panel discussion of various beekeeping issues. One question was "what type of hive" and there was the usual mix of opinions w.r.t. different types.

One of the experts very strongly expressed the view that we should all use wood and not poly. He gave a number of reasons:

1. Poly is bad for the environment. It will not degrade and will be around in landfill for centuries.

2. Wax moth eat into it and even make holes right through. They like to lay in little crannies and you will never rid a poly hive of wax moth.

3. If ever we get small hive beetle they will love to burrow through poly hives and live inside the walls.

4. Yes, in Denmark they use lots of poly hives but they (according to him) use polyurethane not polystyrene which is not quite as bad (though I am not sure in what respect it is better - more robust?)

What do folks here think? I have followed all the discussions about the pros and cons of poly hives that have been posted here since I joined the forum half a year or so ago. I do not remember any discussion of SHB or polyurethane in this context.

I am just starting out and am currently a hivekeeper but not yet a beekeeper. I have a national cedar hive built and ready to go in the spring and I plan to get a second, poly hive to find out for myself the pros and cons. I am waiting for a certain modern supplier (let the reader understand ...) to stock national polys (and if I can get over their thoroughly objectionable lack of a geographical phone number. I really object to paying ridiculous rates for 08... numbers)

Paul

 

[Chris B]

1. Poly is bad for the environment. It will not degrade and will be around in landfill for centuries.
Does your expert believe all wood production and distribution is 100% environmentally friendly? And send the plastic police round his house for an audit - probably 100 times more plastic than a polyhive.
(actually if poly is burned at high temperatures it generates heat plus water, carbon dioxide and soot).

2. Wax moth eat into it
True, just the same as wooden hives.
you will never rid a poly hive of wax moth.
Nonsense

3. If ever we get small hive beetle they will love to burrow through poly hives and live inside the walls.
Bees don't manage to chew it so is the beetle better equipped? I think your expert is speculating.


4. Yes, in Denmark they use lots of poly hives but they (according to him) use polyurethane not polystyrene which is not quite as bad (though I am not sure in what respect it is better - more robust?)
Not just Denmark but Germany, Finland, etc.
They use many more poly hives than we use here.

 

[Poly Hive]

I knew there was a good reason for not joining that association, and you hve just proven me right. Thanks.

That has to be the biggest load of rubbish I have seen yet about poly.

Did anyone ask him about pine or is he a real cedar man bless him. *not*

I will ask Swienty about the polyurethane but I strongly suspect your speaker was talking through his already prejudiced hat.

PH

 

[Tom Bick]

1. Does your expert believe all wood production and distribution is 100% environmentally friendly?

(actually if poly is burned at high temperatures it generates heat plus water, carbon dioxide and soot).

.

Yes Chris this is true but it is sustainable and renewable with very little effort and by the way whilst we are waiting for the tree to re grow it helps to clean the atmosphere.

 

[Hivemaker.]

pbh4
I don't believe that poly hives will be much of a problem when we get small hive beetle,as the larvae leave the hive to pupate in the soil,unlike wax moth larvae,which can, and do bore holes right through poly,and only usually make shallow depressions in a wooden box. But if colonys are strong,and empty hives containing comb are not left lying around, then this should not be much of a problem in the first place.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Yes Chris this is true but it is sustainable and renewable with very little effort and by the way whilst we are waiting for the tree to re grow it helps to clean the atmosphere.

I agree,and create a habitat for wildlife while its growing,and some nice places to walk ect..

 

[Chris B]

Thanks Tom. I know some wood is from plantations as you describe. But is all of it? I vaguely remember discussions a few years ago about which sources of cedar were "green" and which weren't.

 

[Hombre]

I have only ever seen the sculpting done by waxmoth on the inner surfaces of Poly hives, no holes.

Chris has told me to mention that it is a very rare occurrence too, but that's because I'm gullible - LoL.

 

[Tom Bick]

Thanks Tom. I know some wood is from plantations as you describe. But is all of it? I vaguely remember discussions a few years ago about which sources of cedar were "green" and which weren't.

That’s interesting Chris I would be interested to know about that.

I suppose what you say is not so surprising everything has an impact and some more than others and to get a finished product to someones door will have a carbon footprint associated with it and an environmental impact and if both can be offset in the best way possible it has to be for the good.

 

[Poly Hive]

And when we fuel the car we all worry hmm?

PH

 

[Skyhook]

And when we fuel the car we all worry hmm?

PH

I actually feel guilty every time. But that's probably just me.

 

[Chris B]

That’s interesting Chris I would be interested to know about that.

Sorry I don't remember any details but I'll try to find out.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

1. Poly is bad for the environment. It will not degrade and will be around in landfill for centuries.

The link below is a prime example that plastic is better (greener) than most people think!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...endly-cotton-carrier-bag-171-times-green.html

 

[Hivemaker.]

Some people don't think plastic is greener,looking at the damage it is doing in the oceans,just untidy people perhaps.
http://www.cawrecycles.org/issues/plastic_campaign/plastic_bags


http://www.seeturtles.org/1128/ocean-plastic.html

 

[RoofTops]

That's the car with a plastic dashboard etc., driven by someone wearing man-made fibre clothes.

Poly hive don't compete on the green scale with wooden hives made from re-cycled timbers from Granny's floor boards but they will last well over 20 years and are a better use of oil than many other things I can think of.

Anyone using a bee suit/jacket not 100% cotton? And if cotton it was probably woven by children in India or Pakistan.

Some people from a certain beekeeping association need to be careful about casting stones but the original story does not surprise me. The depth of prejudice against poly hives in the UK is still very deep.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

just untidy people perhaps.

Yes!

 

[oliver90owner]

Polystyrene is eminently recyclable actually. Expanded polystyrene can be dropped off at the manufacturers (or remanufacturers). Presumably large enough consignments actually attract a remuneration. It is a shame that it likely costs more to collect/transport than it's worth to an individual.

So it's not really the material, it is the disposal methods of the human race (dumping)which make the whole thing a travesty to nature.

Bring back the milkman and glass bottles. At school we used to collect the milk bottle tops for recycling. There was money in 'returned lemonade bottles', but nowadays (as then) there would be those who would make a business of recycling the same 'empties' several times!

Regards, RAB

 

[barratt_sab]

...There was money in 'returned lemonade bottles'...

bin-surfing for money-back bottles was my main source of income as a child (along with cycling to the shops to get **** for my father, of course)

 

[Tom Bick]

New York canners homeless people make 5c a can

 

[Poly Hive]

Rooftops?

I have been "promoting" Poly Hives for over 25 years.

The prejudice, as you are discovering is very deep indeed.

Yet if you said, I've found the ideal car, cheap efficient and ideal for my situation, and further in the boot is the best mouse trap ever.......

Someone mention path?

PH