Where to buy hives

[blackbrood]

have a look at this google map I put together of all the bee suppliers I could find in the UK courtesy of the nice folk on this forum.

click here

 

[oliver90owner]

I was seriously looking at the beehaus.

Not too seriously, I hope. The evidence seems to stacking up of distortion of the main body when hot and/or on less than a perfectly even base. We need to analyse carefully what data we have before jumping to a certain conclusion and also collect a bit more data yet but it does seem there may be a potential problem under one or both those conditions.

Regards, RAB

 

[Flatters]

I got two Thornes "Bees on a Budget" hives last year. The bees have not complained about them. The do a bit of tidying up of the frames. I plan to make another two this winter. Good price and something to do in the middle of winter.

I made them up last year but made the mistake of putting the foundation in the frames. So any new people; don't do that. Wait until you are ready to use them. Why? because if they are put down flat they sag and also they lose their smell.

 

[MuswellMetro]

I made them up last year but made the mistake of putting the foundation in the frames. So any new people; don't do that. Wait until you are ready to use them. Why? because if they are put down flat they sag and also they lose their smell.

foundation can be problematic if you are not accustomed to it, too cold and it fractures off the wires ( done that by dropping a whole packet in winter) too hot and it bends out of shape to a soggy stuck together mess ( dont leave it in the back of the car in a pub car park on a hot day on the way back from £hornes )

so store it flat in a cool place, and bring it into the warm carefully to make up your frames the week before you need them,

by all means practice with a few super frames to start with (but remember you dont really need any super frames made up until later in the season

Also you will be receive a five frame Nucleus of Bees, so only make up six brood frames 5+6 = 11 the number of frames in a brood box save the rest of the brood foundation until you need to replace frames

 

[Pezza]

Hives

I got a hive from Thomas at the beehiveworkshop about a month ago
i like it so much i have ordered another one! (they are works of art)
I have looked at a lot of hives his are the best by a long way and he is a really nice bloke to deal with.

 

[psafloyd]

I may be criticised for repeating the same things over and over again but why do you all want to pay roughly twice the price for a wooden hive as you would have to pay for a poly hive? If you want to have a hive which look "nice" buy a second hand WBC and park it in the garden as I have. Don't keep bees in it of course but they make a good garden ornament and I use mine as a teaching aid occasionally to show how people used to keep bees and some folk still do - like people who drive old Morris Minors. Interesting old cars but on every practical level no match for something made recently.

Actually, Morris Minors are every bit as practical today as they were when they were first made, particularly the 1098cc model.

At first you may not be used to the way it drives, but they are simple, economical and trustworthy.

 

[Rosti]

simple, economical and trustworthy.

Been trying to convince my wife I fit that description for 25 years!

 

[Hombre]

I guess on a bad day some of us might achieve - simple.

Usually as the requested explanation of our latest and greatest project idea sails off into the blue without making any form of meaningful contact.

Then again some rare questions arrive that indicate that there is sentient thought at home and just keeping the pet bee keeper in check.

Just chequing . . .

 

[Friar Tuck]

I got a hive from Thomas at the beehiveworkshop about a month ago
i like it so much i have ordered another one! (they are works of art)
I have looked at a lot of hives his are the best by a long way and he is a really nice bloke to deal with.

 

[EdNewman]

Friar Tuck, it was your photo's in the gallery that originally put me on to Thomas's hives, you should ask for commission!

I'll be buying some next month if I can move house (7 months in the process, the house buying system in England is pathetic )

Ed.

 

[Gardenbees]

Maisemore's hives are good. I live fairly near there, and wend my way up to their shop occasionally to get extras and smell the wonderful fresh smell of cedar from their workshop. They produce large numbers of hives, supers and frames and seem to have a consistently high quality. I noticed that they had chosen a high quality of wood both for their cedar and "softwood" hives (which were a lot nicer than some pinewood hives I've seen). You can tell craftsmanship from how people choose their raw materials.

Knowledgeable people, too, with neat beehives dotted about their site and lots of beekeeping experience. Not the cheapest, but then the good ones aren't....

 

[beebreeder]

Hivemakers hives are the best on the market, you can have a gabled roof and a stand all in cedar, very pretty in the garden. Pm him he may even knock up some wedges to keep the roof level so that you can stack supers on them, they also come assembled and ready to go, with a colony of bees I believe, obviously for a price and next season.
kev

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Does HM have a website? (hopefully its OK if someone other than HM posts this info?)

 

[beebreeder]

Not that I know of but he does answer PM's
kev

 

[Silly Bee]

Maisemore's hives are good. I live fairly near there, and wend my way up to their shop occasionally to get extras and smell the wonderful fresh smell of cedar from their workshop. They produce large numbers of hives, supers and frames and seem to have a consistently high quality. I noticed that they had chosen a high quality of wood both for their cedar and "softwood" hives (which were a lot nicer than some pinewood hives I've seen). You can tell craftsmanship from how people choose their raw materials.

Knowledgeable people, too, with neat beehives dotted about their site and lots of beekeeping experience. Not the cheapest, but then the good ones aren't....

A £100 hive that lasts twice as long as a £80 hive works out cheaper.

 

[Der Alte Fritz]

Maisemore's hives are good. I live fairly near there, and wend my way up to their shop occasionally to get extras and smell the wonderful fresh smell of cedar from their workshop.

I have been looking at my local suppliers for a second hive for next season and it looks as if Paynes Southdown Bee Farms might be quite competitive. Does anyone have experience of them?

 

[Queens59]

Paynes Southdown Bee Farms might be quite competitive

Yes, I've used them for bits and pieces since I started - and have been very impressed - very helpful and friendly, delivery is also swift. I haven't bought a hive from them as I am saving for one by HM - but did buy WBC lifts, porch etc and they were very good quality and finish.