Swienty vs Abelo

[For want of a better word]

BHS polly Hives are far superior and NOT imported!!!

 

[BMH]

BHS polly Hives are far superior and NOT imported!!!

Are they compatible with wooden parts?

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[Madge]

...
By the way I painted roofs today, arrived this week and they are "old style" so are they old stock or have Swienty started using that mold again?

PH

As I said earlier, I think they've discontinued the new style roof as there were too many complaints. It didn't last long - I think only the original style is sold now.

 

[Madge]

Are they compatible with wooden parts?

Bee Hive Supply hives are compatible with wooden hives - but such a hive looks ridiculous - see my photo in post 54.

 

[Poly Hive]

Does the look matter provided the weather is kept out?

PH

 

[Hivemaker.]

Does the look matter provided the weather is kept out?

Yes, to some people it does matter.

 

[BMH]

Does the look matter provided the weather is kept out?

PH

Is it even actually fully compatible?

Can you use a wooden roof on a poly brood/super?

 

[For want of a better word]

Bee Hive Supply hives are compatible with wooden hives - but such a hive looks ridiculous - see my photo in post 54.

Those ( in the Photo)... unless I am very much mistaken are not BeeHiveSupplies polly hives......

If you want pretty instead of ugly boxes... go for WBC's !

Although Hivemaker's pitched roofs and top quality cabinet makers WRC hives do set off the apiary and look the part down at Mt Egecumb!

 

[SDM]

Is it even actually fully compatible?

Can you use a wooden roof on a poly brood/super?

You can use oversize poly roofs on wood, but not wood on poly , so its really wood that isn't totally cross compatible not the poly.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Yes, to some people it does matter.

I was told at the very start of my beekeeping the bees don't care a damn what it looks like
Cosmetic appearance is for the humans.

 

[BMH]

You can use oversize poly roofs on wood, but not wood on poly , so its really wood that isn't totally cross compatible not the poly.

Ah yes... see what you mean...

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[ericbeaumont]

Does the look matter provided the weather is kept out?PH

Only if the look impacts on the performance: stacking different sized boxes = ledges and likely water ingress; big roof on a small box may allow a strong wind to blow off the roof.

Only if the look reduces efficient management for bee and beekeeper: size mixing may lead to brace comb and bonded boxes and sweaty cursing; thinking about which bit goes on what to stop this or that wastes brain energy for both parties. I had to resolve a hive that combined National wood under a cheap wood Lang that was a different size and under a Lyson poly Lang, with scrap wood for the gaps and the twin blocks in the Lyson roof missing. Luckily the bees had propolised one up and the other became a top entrance for the split.

Only if the look impacts on visibility: why paint a poly hive purple and expect to keep a low profile? Poland must be a law-abiding country if Lyson can get away with painting hives yellow and turquoise blue. Even the Abelo green sticks out a mile in a green field in greenland; I respray mine to blend in. The military choose colours with care for good reason; beekeepers don't.

Some National wood boxes I work with look ready for bait hives or bonfire, but as they're all the same size and don't have lips or compromise beespace bodges, they work fine. In that respect, only Abelo are compatible because (a) National footprint is maintained (b) National vertical spec. is maintained (c) no silly lips are involved (d) 11 frames sit comfortably without needing a dummy board (e) plastic box rims improve poly rigidity and so permit (b). There are faults: beespace between boxes is not accurate; hand recesses mimic wood National pattern unnecessarily (reducing thermal efficiency); box holes & blocks for splits/vents are a fiddly and costly bonus that get glued up and try to answer a question no-one asked; crownboard ditto, and expensive.

Extras give beekeepers too many options to fiddle and to ignore the hollow tree principle. This week I saw a double-brood Abelo with the bottom box blocks left out and the bitter prevailing wind blowing straight through. Never give bees options is a good motto; it should apply equally to beekeepers and manufacturers.

 

[fatshark]

You can use oversize poly roofs on wood, but not wood on poly , so its really wood that isn't totally cross compatible not the poly.

Eh? A National wooden roof fits a poly brood/super that is of correct external National dimensions. Abelo and Swienty boxes are fine with wooden roofs.

It's oversized poly that's not compatible.

 

[BMH]

Eh? A National wooden roof fits a poly brood/super that is of correct external National dimensions. Abelo and Swienty boxes are fine with wooden roofs.



It's oversized poly that's not compatible.

This was in relation to BHS poly hives

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[For want of a better word]

This was in relation to BHS poly hives

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The BHS polly roof fit ok on wooden boxes.

I do not think the wood roofs I use would fit on the BHS poll hives though!


Does this matter???

 

[Madge]

Does the look matter provided the weather is kept out?

PH

Yes and no. It looks ridiculous - more so than the Swienty and wood hive - but when you need to put a hive together with what you have, the bees won't mind. There are other reasons why a behemoth hive with wood isn't ideal and other people have already mentioned those.

Those ( in the Photo)... unless I am very much mistaken are not BeeHiveSupplies polly hives......

The big hive in the foreground of post 54 is a Bee Hive Supplies hive (with wood) and the one in the background is Swienty (with wood).

 

[Poly Hive]

Back in the day before I moved totally to poly I mixed and matched all the time.

I don't give a hoot what it looks like so long as the bees are snug and weather tight. When you are short of kit you use what you have and a dollop of ingenuity as well. I know a BF who had to use cardboard boxes one season. You do what you have to and stuff the aesthetics when you have bills to pay.

I had overheads of £4k to cover before I made a penny. I'll tell you this that forces focus.

PH

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Anybody painted their Abelos

 

[Beefriendly]

Anybody painted their Abelos

errr The National hives come ready painted...

 

[ericbeaumont]

Anybody painted their Abelos

Post 72.