Which Poly hive

[paulhipwood]

We are about to start Beekeeping, we think, we are going to have a hive experience on Sunday.

If we decide to go ahead we are going to go down the Poly Hive route.

As we have no "hang ups" or experience we will not know if we have got the "correct" one and we may never know.
I am also considering plastic frames. Any comments on that?

We will start with a NUC, which will probably be on National frames.

We could go down the National route or go for a Langstroth.
I am tending to favour the Langstroth, as it is the most commonly manufactured type - who agrees with me or has a different opinion?

best regards
paul and les

 

[mexbigshow]

hi Paul and Les, i have just set up a langstroth poly hive and i am very impressed with it, last year was my 1st year bee keeping and i made a top bar hive from plans on the net it was good experience and so i thought this year i would get a bigger hive. If you plan on using a nuc you might want to try and get 1 with langstroth frames in because national and langstroth frames are different lengths or you will have to use frame converters.
regards
chris

 

[FenBee]

I have poly Langstroth hives and have gone for a one size box approach using just Langstroth medium boxes, which take Dadant shallow frames. This is fine for me, but does will it more interesting, when making up NUCs as they are non standard,
The advantage is a frame can be moved any where within the hive.

 

[Poly Hive]

Go Langstroth.

One example: http://en.lyson.com.pl/p3028876_body-american-langstroth-not-painted.html

18.7 Euros. £16.53

Costs £10 to send them the money via the bank so it pays to make a good order.

PH

 

[Mike a]

Plastic Foundation

I've bought two different types from different suppliers.

The first is from Th**nes

Wax coated plastic foundation
Available in both BS National and shallow and Langstroth deep and medium. Tough plastic, pretty simple to fit in the frames and will last the frames life time, once the comb gets old simply scrap off the wax and steam clean or dip in boiling water and recoat with fresh clean wax.

I'm very pleased with them and would recommend them. Within a couple of days the bees were drawing out the cells and the queen was laying. They are about 4mm thick so very rigid and well priced.


The second can be bought from two suppliers I know of P*yn*s and MBeekeeping.
Only available in Langstroth full deep and medium as far as I know at the moment.

To be honest I was a little disappointed with these after I bought a second batch, they were all slightly twisted and warped even more when the hot wax was applied. Although I'm told once they are drawn out and partly filled the weight of the stores in the frame will be enough to over come any warping. As above once the comb gets old simply scrap off the wax steam clean or dip in boiling water and recoat with fresh clean wax and they are ready to reuse. One last point is for those who struggle to see eggs normally these are very good as the white of the egg stands out a mile on the black plastic.

Other types may soon be available in the UK like this below (predrawn plastic)

Some say its very good, not tried it myself as it had to be bought in bulk (100 frames) and imported from the US and they weren't cheap.

 

[OXFORDBEE]

Mike,

Thanks for the info on plastic foundation. I've got some of the Th**nes plastic foundation and had it for a while. Have you actually steam cleaned it? I've got a frame steamer but am wondering if the plastic would survive the heat.

Nice post, thanks for taking the time to put it up!

 

[tidymeup]

Personally I don't like the plastic foundation that I have tried so far in the brood, this was the stuff from modern beekeeping.

Although it does have some nice advantages that you can see eggs easily and bees are less likely to build queen cells in hidden places.

Although I use plastic frames in all of my supers.

 

[Mike a]

Mike,

Thanks for the info on plastic foundation. I've got some of the Th**nes plastic foundation and had it for a while. Have you actually steam cleaned it? I've got a frame steamer but am wondering if the plastic would survive the heat.

Nice post, thanks for taking the time to put it up!

Not as yet no, but this is what I was advised when I rang up Th**nes.
Although I will still test one frame first just to be sure.

 

[paulhipwood]

Thank you all for your posts.

Will go for a Langstroth hive and probably plastic frames.
What are the reasons for different depth frames, is it to make the colony bigger?

Need to sort out a shopping list.

thanks again
paul and les

 

[drstitson]

Plastic Frames

"To be honest I was a little disappointed with these after I bought a second batch, they were all slightly twisted and warped even more when the hot wax was applied."

I was advised by someone who should know to steer clear of the full depth plastic frames due to the warping problems - apparently many unsaleable on receipt by the company.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

I am tending to favour the Langstroth, as it is the most commonly manufactured type - who agrees with me or has a different opinion?

best regards
paul and les

Most commonly manufactured poly, and most common hive type globally. However it is not the most commonly used hive type in the UK

Not an insurmountable problem at all, but personally if going down the poly route I'd be looking at recent National based offerings from Modern Beekeeping and Paynes as well as the Langs

 

[jasonahood]

I started on Two poly hives with Jumbo Langstroth / Dadant so far they've been brilliant; with my prolific bees I certainly wouldn't want to have something with a smaller brood chamber.

I haven't tried plastic frames in my supers, but to me the preparation sounds like a faff ( rolling with wax etc ); it's quite quick to knock together wooden frames once you've got the hang of it.

 

[Hivey League]

I started out with only solid poly frames in all my hives,and so far they've performed very well,no warping to speak of,and the bees seem to like them,and draw well in them ect...I did see in an earlier post in this thread regarding boiling them to clean,and everything I've read so far says not to do so because it will cause them to warp.A simple scraping using a wide scraper works great,then a quick coat of wax with a small paint roller,and there as good as new.

 

[Poly Hive]

And the weather in Florida is rather better than ours.....

Plastic foundation is notorious for being awkward to get drawn out.

Personally I do not use it.

PH

 

[Mike a]

Removed. Sorry forgot I'd already posted on this thread.

 

[Poly Hive]

Although Hampshire is not Stateside, it is considerably south of Aberdeenshire, some 540 odd miles if not more.

In iffy flows getting them drawn can be very difficult and I was told that by a vendor...LOL

PH

 

[Nic Rhodes]

are there any current 14 x 12 poly Nationals around?. I have found a National poly I wouldn't mind trying (MB) and have found Paynes plans for a new National and 14 x 12 to come later in the summer but I can't find any 14 x 12 Polys now or a suitable Eke. Anyone know one? or could you use two supers?

 

[Nic Rhodes]

has anyone got the poly hive from bee hive suppl1es? They seem to have a 14 x 12 option...

 

[TheBeehive]

I am looking for National Poly Hives made by Swienty. Does anybody know where in the UK I may purchase these please?

 

[Poly Hive]

Yes.

Denrosa or Wynne Jones. Google for numbers.

PH