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polystyrene hives

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Finman:

--- Quote from: Archie ---Hi,

does any use or have any experience with polystyrene hives.
Archie    :D
--- End quote ---


I am from Finland and I have used polystyrene boxes since 1987. I have 3 PS langstroth boxes per hive and others wood. I try to keep 5-7 box per hive. If colony is too little to production I put a couple together.

Polystyrene hives (PS) are frienly to back. They are warm at spring and colony developes very good. A moist wooden  box weight is about 10 kg and two is 20 kg extra. This is extra weight when I take them to outer pasture on summer. I handle my nests alone.

In my nest the ceiling and floor are wood. There are difficulties when humidity condensate on walls an goes to floor. It must be a good ventilation on the floor.

Archie:
Hi Finman,

Thanks for the info on the polystyrene  hives.  I have a couple of questions if I may.  

Do you use an inner cover and do you have vent holes in the hive bodies for air circulation during the hot summer days.?  Our bee equipment supplier tells me I do not need an inner cover but I am concerned about moisture building up during the winter.  Another reason for an inner cover is I have have found the bees are buillding burr comb between the top of the frams to the hive cover and the cover is really stuck to the frames and difficult to remove.  

Thanks again,

Archie

Anonymous:

--- Quote from: Archie ---Hi Finman,

Thanks for the info on the polystyrene  hives.  I have a couple of questions if I may.  

Do you use an inner cover and do you have vent holes in the hive bodies for air circulation during the hot summer days
--- End quote ---


In Finland we have two kind of ventilation systems.

I have middle holes in the upper part of polystyrene box. If you do not have upper holes, bees will  get nosema. But  in the floor in back corners I have  one inch holes with net to get ventilation throuhg the floor.

Other system is that during the winter the whole floor is open. It is only net there and no middle holes.  I have guite a windy place in winter, and I am fraid of using that system.

On winter we have usual temperature -10 - -20 C in southern Finland and the snow is on the ground 4,5 months.

******

COVER

I have wooden ceiling 10 mm wood batten with frames. The cover is from used foam plastic mattress 5 cm.  That cover is easy to handle.

Polystyrene box is very light to handle. The oldest box is 17 years old and in good condition.

When ceiling is strong, it it is easy to open it. Often it is sealed quite firmly, but it is a little problem.


PAINT
You must paint it with latex because sun reflect from white box and bees will be a little blind. They does not find door easily.

Finman:

--- Quote from: Archie ---Hi,

does any use or have any experience with polystyrene hives.  
Archie    :D
--- End quote ---


More hints: It is difficult to keep nest floor clean, if it is polystynene.  I clean the floor sometimes with gas flame. Also I prefer wood as ceiling, because it absorb moisture.

So you only need boxes.

I also have iron plate rain roof. It should be heavy, because wind will easily throw away light one.  Also i have 7-10 cm eaves, so it protect from rain.

I got from Finnish bee forum idea, that the floor can be slanting forward. So water and rubbish go to the opening of hive.  When we have moisture and rubbish on the floor, mold likes it.

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