BB, Polystyrene

[SystemShark]

Well I thought I was all set on my equipment buying decisions; until last night when I went to my first beekeeping meeting of the year. ^^

I called my mentor up eariler in the week to let him know I was ready to buy and to ask if he knew anyone that had any nucs or splits that I could buy to get started. After I told him I was going with wooden hives, all medium sized, 5 boxes high to start per hive (plan to start with two); he started talking about his polysytrene hives from last year. When I first met him he recently started experimenting with two of them and he told me they are now his two strongest hives, with at least 8 other wooden ones in the apiary at his house. He said they did very well overwintering and are builing up like crazy.

So needless to say, he recomended that I just get 2 "hive increase kit" for $130 from BetterBee. 2 Deeps, 2 Mediums, bottom board w/ varroa Screen, telescoping top, 40 frames of my hoice (plastic w/pierco or wooden with crimp wire). So now I'm all gun-ho about these new hives.. until the beemeeting!

My mentor introduces me to the one guy in our club who is making splits still and (with my mentor not in an ear shot) I tell him I'm going with the poly hives, he says NO NO NO. His main reasoning being that ants will chew holes in it.. Now according to BB it says ants/mice/wax moths arn't any more of a problem in the poly hives than in wooden ones. Not having any experience with it myself from what I've read about bees I'd figure they would just plug up the holes with propilis and deal with the ant's themselves. I'm planing on setting the hives up on some cement blocks, or other elevated surface; not on the ground.

Anyone use these hives any have anything to say about them? Good or bad? Good idea for my first hive? Plastic w/ Pierco or Wooden with Crimp Wire (I was gunna go with the plasic for simplistic sake)? Problems with pests?

Thanks! Should be getting my bees around June 1st =))))

[TapStoneBees]

Hey there,

I have  been using the Polystyrene hives for more than three years, and I will say they are amazing.

They keep the gals warm in the winter, and cool in the summer.

The hives have wintered over each year, and start building like crazy in the early spring.

I would really recommend them, I have also wooden hives, and found them to be fine, though the shear numbers of bees that overwinter in the Poly, seem to be a whole lot more.

No Ant problems, nor mice, or any other problems.

I had a bear last year, tore the hive up, but was able to put it back together with Gorilla Glue, and it is still holding strong today.

I think your mentor has moved you in a good direction, ask 10 Beekeepers what they they, and you will be sure to get at least a dozen different answers,
Just the nature of the beast.

Good Luck, and DO IT, if not both, maybe one of each, that way you can have your own laboratory and view the difference between them both.

Have a GREAT BEE SEASON!!
IT is a whole lot of fun!!!
Cheers,
JT

[Brian D. Bray]

Even with the Poly hives you can still go with all mediums  I would recommend keeping to that decission, all mediums makes your beeyard much more flexable  If you want to go with Poly do so, but your other ideas are sound so don't desert them on 1 or 2 beekeepers opinions.

[Robo]

I just went thru my first winter with Polystyrene hives and was quite amazed.  I had 5 hives of them and they are by far the strongest 5 of my hives now.   They used about half the amount of stores as my wooden hives and have almost twice as much brood now. 

The medium polystyrene boxes don't have near the insulating value as the deeps do.  Just keep that in mind if you are in a cold area.

I was skeptical at first as I wasn't sure how they would hold up.  But to my surprise they are really dense and quite strong.  I also like the frame rests in them very much as they provide space for the bees under the frame tabs so you don't have to worry about squishing bees.

As far as frames go,  I don't particularly care for plastic frames except the fully drawn HSC frames.  I find the pierco type too flexible, especially when heavy with brood and honey, and difficult to hold with frame grabbers.   You would be much better off with wood frames with plastic foundation.

[SystemShark]

Thanks for the resposnes, I think I'll go with 2 poly hives and all medium supers! Its going to be more expensive that way, by about 30-40$ I'm guessing since its not the standard hive kit; I'll have to buy it all seperate. Still I think it'll be better for me in the end. Just got to sit down one day and do it! =)

[Michael Bush]

>Even with the Poly hives you can still go with all mediums  I would recommend keeping to that decission

So would I.

The poly boxes may seem lighter, but there really isn't much difference full of honey.  A deep will still weigh 85 pounds or so.

The medium poly ones are still more insulation than wood.

I still prefer the wood.