Today's delivery.

[Poly Hive]

Took delivery today of one complete hive, 10 supers, three floors and three roofs, assembled the supers and brood box inside 15 mins and an hour later all are painted and ready for work tomorrow.

Poly is really the way to go...

PH

 

[chalkie]

Hope you don't mind me asking, but where did you purchase them from and what's the prices and quality like.
thanks

 

[Poly Hive]

Sure. I ordered them from C. Wynne Jones on Monday I think it was and they arrived today.

Floor is £19.40
B/Box £19.80
Super £16.00
Roof £17.40

They are from Swienty and so the quality is first class not the soft rubbish some are selling.

This is the quality I am used to since 1987.

PH

 

[Rob]

Hi PH,

Maybe a silly question but as nationals are a standard size can you mix poly components with timber ones?

Rob

 

[Poly Hive]

Yes. However due to the wall thickness the poly broods only take 10 frames.

PH

 

[VEG]

I thought poly hives were cheaper than cedar hives.

 

[Hawklord]

I thought poly hives were cheaper than cedar hives.

Where can you buy a cedar hive for £72.60?

 

[VEG]

by the time you add another super and buy frames and foundation the budget hives compare well.
Although the construction time is minimal with poly hives.
Poly hive do you have any pics of them?

 

[Poly Hive]

I do but my record of posting pics on here is not good.

A super takes under a minute to make up. Brood box the same.

PH

 

[Haughton Honey]

Erm...C Wynne Jones actually!

Where can you buy a cedar hive for £72.60?

 

[jon]

Most of mine are Thorne seconds flatpack. I think it was £11 for a super and £16 for a brood. I make the lids myself and my old man is a dab hand at making varroa floors.

 

[Poly Hive]

The price is not the point here, what matters is what is better for the bees and I have known the answer to that question since 1987 when I first met a poly.

If one is so cost driven that the bees come second, then my apologies, I thought one was a beekeeper.

PH

 

[Nopants]

I do but my record of posting pics on here is not good.

A super takes under a minute to make up. Brood box the same.

PH

Do they provide better insulation against cold weather ?

I must say they do look impressive, will they stand up to high winds though?

 

[jon]

PH
The bees do not come second.
There are pros and cons to any design of hive.
It is a matter of personal choice.
9 out of ten of my colonies came through last winter in cedar hives.
Did you get better results with Poly?

 

[Poly Hive]

Not last winter Jon as I was very busy with the hotel, getting it up and running. The bees came a very poor second to that.

Winter before I took 100% through but that was as much to an ideal wintering site as hive type. These sort of comparisons are meaningless.

Do you get brood on the outside frame next to the wall? Do your bees cluster next to a wall in winter?

Why would professionals give their eye teeth to be able to afford to make the change over?

Anyway there is only one way to really understand the difference and that is to buy one.

And no I don't sell them. I just like bees.

PH

 

[jon]

I have nothing against Poly Hives or any other type of hive. I am sure poly hives are an excellent way to keep bees.
The key variable is not the hive, it is the beekeeper. Some people keep buying in bees and queens every year and others sell them.
I rear queens in a concoction of home made nucs, Easybee correx boxes and anything else that comes to hand.
I also have a home made poly box made from a medical supplies insulated box.
I don't yet have a top bar hive but never say never.

And re. brood. Several of my colonies have brood in the outer frame. It's not unusual at all.

 

[Mission]

well I had 2 ploy hives delivered today from Modern Beekeeping and I have to say I like what I see. I decided to Epoxy the joints (for my own peace of mind) and they were still up and complete in around 10 minutes each. It took me longer to assemble the frames for the hives!

By the time you add frames, foundation and delivery charges, they cost a little less than a flat packed budget hive, so that wasn't my motivation.

What did motivate me was the European's. They have embraced the type and everyone who I have ever spoken to about them, swears by them. If they are as good as people say, then I will be expanding my hive numbers significantly over the winter and using them exclusively.

 

[VEG]

My only worry with the poly hives is that they wouldnt stand up to being pushed over as one of my cedar hives has. I think if I had known about the poly hives before I bought my cedar hives I may well have got them.

 

[DulwichGnome]

Does any one make Poly Hives to suit National Frames?

Mike.

 

[Poly Hive]

Yes they do Dulwich and in this thread I think it is mentioned that they are National?

As for strength if the right ones are bought, they are as strong as wood.

Jon? In my old climate in NE Scotland believe me having brood on the outer side of the frames was very unusual indeed.

PH