Shopping list 😁

[Nick Lang]

I only ask as Maisemore have a sale on at the moment and the 2nd quality cedar boxes boxes are a fraction of the price...I was thinking of putting an order in to get some kit ready for next year...but obviously they have all different sizes

 

[Erichalfbee]

To add to your misery, Nick
If I was starting again I would go Poly Langstroth

 

[Murox]

To add to your misery, Nick
If I was starting again I would go Poly Langstroth

Interesting choice. That is precisely what I am in the process of doing - almost ready to commit to ordering in particular the Honey Paw ones versus the others.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Interesting choice. That is precisely what I am in the process of doing - almost ready to commit to ordering in particular the Honey Paw ones versus the others.

Let us know how it goes.
I have too much National kit. Husband wouldn't forgive me if I spent it all over again on something else
Perhaps I could sneak it in one box at a time?

 

[North End Bees]

To add to your misery, Nick
If I was starting again I would go Poly Langstroth

Yes, lots on here would have gone for a different type with the benefit of hindsight. Even though they may have been very sure of the decision at the outset.
And can be expensive to change later once you're invested in a system.

Maybe best to hold off getting your own and work with a mentor for a season? That way you'd get the benefit of their experience (plus probably a free starter nuc of bees)

 

[Murox]

Yes. well langstroth stuff is a little less expensive on the whole so a box at time could work

 

[Nick Lang]

To add to your misery, Nick
If I was starting again I would go Poly Langstroth

Yeah.....I looked at the poly stuff....but is that environmentally friendly?

 

[thorn]

To add to your misery, Nick
If I was starting again I would go Poly Langstroth

Why?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Why?

I could run the same size boxes primarily

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yeah.....I looked at the poly stuff....but is that environmentally friendly?

Not getting into that. There are arguments all over the place for and against and about the longevity etc etc
I run both wood and poly
My bees do better in poly

 

[The Poot]

I could run the same size boxes primarily

With hindsight, I’ve concluded that’s the best way and Langstroth would have been my informed choice. The problem when you’re starting out is you’re generally uninformed.

 

[Apple]

Not getting into that. There are arguments all over the place for and against and about the longevity etc etc
I run both wood and poly
My bees do better in poly

You will have to make a decision to avoid any expensive mistake.
Agree with Erichalfbee, and run both wood and polly.
Use BeeHiveSupplies Polly standard National, either double brood or more often brood + 1/2.
Have tried these OMF underfloor entrance devices being peddled as the best thing next to sliced bread... but find they get clogged up with dead bees... standard solid floors with the top vent in the crownboard left open is what one Somerset Beefarmer does.... who is running 10 times the number of colonies we do.. and very successfully.

As for an out apiary 3 miles from you home apiary and not in sight of any houses....

 

[bontbee]

So is there a big difference between using 14x12 brood boxes and two standard brood boxes?

If you are inclined to go for nationals, and don't know if you want double deeps or 14 x 12s, you could start with deeps. If you then decide to go 14 x 12, there are ekes available/you could make ekes, to convert BS deep to 14 x 12....

 

[madasafish]

Interesting choice. That is precisely what I am in the process of doing - almost ready to commit to ordering in particular the Honey Paw ones versus the others.

I have one HP lang nuc.. Happy with it.

I also have one Paradise Honey Lang jumbo. Happy with it but would not buy more as incompatible with anything else and a pia to diy bits.

 

[North End Bees]

Have tried these OMF underfloor entrance devices being peddled as the best thing next to sliced bread... but find they get clogged up with dead bees

I was planning to try these on a couple of hives next year as there's been quite a lot of support for them.

Has anyone else had this problem? It seems as if they would be easier for the bees to clear the dead as they can just push them along the floor to the slot?
Assuming full width slot?

Or do you mean the kewl type UFE?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I was planning to try these on a couple of hives next year as there's been quite a lot of support for them.
Has anyone else had this problem?

Never had any feedback on this being an issue, I've been running them for ten years or so and have quite a few - never had this problem or anything close.
Just think about it - it's a hole in the floor, things may be able to pile up either side of it, but if anything falls on the hole, it just falls through.
As you just said - easier for bees as they can just push them over to the hole, but they don't even need to do do that - in the winter cluster the dead tend to remain on the comb, so the mortuary bees just need to move them to an area over the entrance and let them fall.
It is a bit disconcerting sometimes as, in calmer weather the dead just lie on the lobby floor until blown away.

 

[understanding_bees]

Watching Paul Kelly (University of Guelph, Canada) handle and speak about bees is just about the most calming experience I can have in front of a screen.

I agree that Paul Kelly is a very knowledgeable teacher.

 

[ericbeaumont]

a fraction of the price

I looked at the poly stuff...but is that environmentally friendly?

Price is secondary, Nick; practical value ought to be your primary concern.

Beware temptation! Sales and cheap options are the playgrounds we've been given by marketing and big business: think Amazon beekeeper all-in-one packages, much of which is iffy quality and with unnecessary bits.

Poly hives will last 30+ years and offer best nest thermal efficiency, in tune with the needs of bees. Fancy wood, cheap options, pretty alternatives fulfil the needs of the beekeeper: don't confuse the two.

Plastic is an appropriate material if given a long life and (eventually) recycled wisely; plastic used for short-life products and as throwaway, unnecessary packaging is the real problem.

Maisemore English cedar 2nds are good value but if you go that route and decide later to try poly, the best of the crop is Abelo, the only hive entirely compatible with bottom beespace National wood hives.

 

[Apple]

Price is secondary, Nick; practical value ought to be your primary concern.

Beware temptation! Sales and cheap options are the playgrounds we've been given by marketing and big business: think Amazon beekeeper all-in-one packages, much of which is iffy quality and with unnecessary bits.

Poly hives will last 30+ years and offer best nest thermal efficiency, in tune with the needs of bees. Fancy wood, cheap options, pretty alternatives fulfil the needs of the beekeeper: don't confuse the two.

Plastic is an appropriate material if given a long life and (eventually) recycled wisely; plastic used for short-life products and as throwaway, unnecessary packaging is the real problem.

Maisemore English cedar 2nds are good value but if you go that route and decide later to try poly, the best of the crop is Abelo, the only hive entirely compatible with bottom beespace National wood hives.

 

[Apple]

only hive entirely compatible with bottom beespace


Using wood / wrc boxes with out BHS polly hives... no problem.
Perhaps "other" polly hives have thinner walls and need pins/ridges etc to make them fit together???