your hives + hopefully some hive/bee porn

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irishguy

Field Bee
Joined
Dec 26, 2012
Messages
865
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0
Location
ireland
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
2 over wintered nucs
Just curious to know what type of hives you have and what was your reasons why you choose that particular hive. I have came across plywood, pine, cedar and even polyester hives. We have top bar, langstroth, BS, nationals, Smith's, commercials and have even seen basket type hives.

What type have you and where are they. Are they in your backyard, in a farmer's field or even your own land. What about on top of your house in an urban area. While we're here, have you any pics of your hives throughout all the season's and in full traffic in the summer months.

When extracting, what method do you use. Do you use a homemade device or other
 
Sorry, I've no time to write an illustrated textbook. It's best to restrict a thread to one topic irishguy
 
Last edited:
Sorry, I've no time to write an illustrated textbook. It's best to restrict a thread to one topic irishguy

Ok, you can stick to answering what hives you have and why
 
I use commercials mostly. The reason being they are the easiest and cheapest to make DIY if you only have a few tools. I am lucky I have a local timber merchant that will cut all parts to size so that I only need to router the tops for the frames to rest on, then glue, screw and varnish them. I make all the parts except the honey supers which I tend to buy from the sales or at the auctions.

I can produce a whole hive for less that £50 including frames and wax this way.
 
Sorry, I've no time to write an illustrated textbook. It's best to restrict a thread to one topic irishguy

Luckily you Managed to find time for some sarcasm though.....

Im a hobby beekeeper and use std nationals purely for ease and flexibility with it being the most common
type in the UK.
 
Polystyrene Jumbo Langstroth, because I was advised by local commercial beekeepers that the size was best for the local bees and, after a lot of research, I decided to go with polystyrene.

Kept in a large private garden, well away from neighbours. An out-apiary is available if needed, it's just a bit more than the 3 miles flying distance away from main apiary site.

Extractor or crush and strain through a sieve, as well as a press because we are in an area where the bees can reach heather.
 
I have two commercial hives and a 14 x 12 national poly hive. I will be swapping to all one size box method of beekeeping at some point though, probably poly. Hives are on my parents land.

e84s3s.jpg
 
I started off with WBC, because my FinL liked 'the look' and because someone on free-cycle gave me 2 hives and a load of equipment free. I then bought National wooden hives and poly hives - wooden 'cos I knew no better, and poly for price and liftability...They all take the same size frames which is great.

I keep them in my garden which is a large rural garden, as I have fab neighbours - although we are hoping to move, so I will be looking for similar space and privacy...

No photo as not enough internet to upload...but imagine 5 assorted hives in a fruit cage...
 
National, because everyone else had them. Keep them off site and I use the children method of extraction.
 
ely love the chair a must in all apiaries,matches all types of hives
martin
 
I use 14x12 BN as most people this way do, all in cedar, Nucs cedar but now moved on to poly as a lot cheaper. I have two hives in my garden but most are at two out apiaries

I am looking for cheaper options and believe langstroth may be the way I will go in future. I could have these cut locally and then put them together myself.
 
Hives

Poly langstroth because they are light, cheaper than nationals, bigger brood box than nationals, give you a better choice of equipment manufacturers for extractors etc.
I use stainless steel food grade radial extractor
 
Started with BSN then went to 14 x 12 in my third year.Now run 3 modified MB 14 x 12 with top bee space and one cedar. I am going to try Pains 14 x 12 without their rails to give me top space. If i had my time again it would be poly Langstroth.
 
I have langstroth (wooden) on basis that as the majority of beekeepers in this country have nationals and the rest of the world tend to go for Langstroths. The herd instinct in this country is very strong so I instinctively head in the opposite direction and I've not regretted it. I buy 'seconds' in the sales. It works out cheaper having bees in one box than having to add a super; as well as less hassle. The national would not have spawned so many different variations if it was fit for purpose. People tend to progress to 14 x 12 simply because they can use the frames they had in their nationals and anyone who is commercial don't use nationals. Have two MB poly Langstroths but not as robust as good old fashion cedar. I also make my own floors ( I like to be able to slide out the open mesh floor to make cleaning in spring a doddle) roofs and Crown Boards. Just buying the Brood boxes and Supers as mentioned in the sales along with frames.
 
I have langstroth (wooden) on basis that as the majority of beekeepers in this country have nationals and the rest of the world tend to go for Langstroths. The herd instinct in this country is very strong so I instinctively head in the opposite direction and I've not regretted it. I buy 'seconds' in the sales. It works out cheaper having bees in one box than having to add a super; as well as less hassle. The national would not have spawned so many different variations if it was fit for purpose. People tend to progress to 14 x 12 simply because they can use the frames they had in their nationals and anyone who is commercial don't use nationals. Have two MB poly Langstroths but not as robust as good old fashion cedar. I also make my own floors ( I like to be able to slide out the open mesh floor to make cleaning in spring a doddle) roofs and Crown Boards. Just buying the Brood boxes and Supers as mentioned in the sales along with frames.

I think you will find a number of commercial guys use nationals, maybe multi brood boxes but still nationals.
 
ely love the chair a must in all apiaries,matches all types of hives
martin

I love that chat chair. Found it dumped somewhere. It was rickety so put some screws in all the joints and put a coat of some protective oil and put it out. It's great with a beer and watching hives in summer. I've fallen back on it a few times when getting stung by an angry bee though
 
I think you will find a number of commercial guys use nationals, maybe multi brood boxes but still nationals.

I agree Bill, most of the ones i know, including the biggest one in England, and as for the comment on spawned so many variations if it was fit for purpose, well, three common sizes of wooden national box, compared to ... according to Cushman...

Langstroth standard' there are about ninety sub species, some of which are totally incompatible with each other.
 

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