Guest Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 There is a new plastic hive on the market you can get the very basic floor, brood & roof for just sixty quid . Supers are seventeen quid. Seems very modern for beekeeping I will, of course, be going for the 14 x 12 option. RAB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Hmmmmm sounds interesting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 I looked at these in my search for a hive. I am bamboozled by all I have read and my research generates more questions than answers. Also it looks like you need two hives to undertake artificial swarming! So much for me to learn . . Still haven't decided yet! Will have a discussion later this afternoon on my course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 What is it called? Edited: Found it Interestingly there is a discussion on them on the forum Here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 I looked at these at the honey show last year and again at Stoneleigh last weekend. I too am waiting for the 14 x 12. I like the idea of overwintering with adequate supplies in the one box. All that faffing around with fondant left me overfeeding the smallest colony which now is building up only slowly with masses of capped stores and little place to lay. I took out two frames replaced with foundation as I don't have drawn frames and am hoping the warm weather will enable them to make use of them. I am also having to treat for nosema so they have fumidil on top so heavens knows what they will do with that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Wow! I quite like this design and it seems great value too! Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 We ordered from MB about 10 days ago and aren't too happy with them at the moment. We tried to speak to someone before ordering but the girl who answers the phone knows nothing about beekeeping and "the beekeeper was away" so we ordered online. It's not the easiest site to use and it's all a bit confusing. We naively thought a "Complete Hive" would be more than we actually got - we'd ordered supers but didn't realise that there wasn't a Qx included....and it isn't listed as a component in the National section - it's in the Langstroth section - so we now have 2 hives, 4 supers but no Qx's. We phoned to speak about it but once again got the girl who was obviously just looking at the website and couldn't tell us any more than we could see for ourselves. The Qx is not in stock for the National anyway! We need some bits from another supplier so we'll get the Qx's from them as well. I was under the impression that the hive could be painted if you wished but when it arrived and we printed off the assembly details it appears that it is almost imperative that it is painted. I was planning to use one to perform an AS on our best colony but had to cobble together bits from the wooden hives we already have as I didn't have the paint ready. .......then the bees beat us by hours.......we were going to do the AS on Wednesday and we knew we were on borrowed time but the weather had been so windy that we'd waited......and we lost a swarm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 Mine arrived this morning. Very pleased with it and I've been shopping for different coloured paint I'm going the 14 x 12 option with two supers. My only bugbear is that I have been trying unsuccessfully to get a price for all the separate components so that I did not have to buy a BS brood. There are no feeders in stock and I'm having to wait for entrance reducers but that's not a problem this time of year. I have excluders spare having stocked up with stuff at Stoneleigh. I got caught out last year I think, Lesley that all poly hives have to be painted to stop the material being degraded by UV. Sorry about your lost swarm. One of mine swarmed 2 weeks ago but I managed to catch them and put them in a bigger box; they have four solid frames of 14 x 12 brood........wonderful Let me know how you get on with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 Yes, the paint stops UV degradation and the paint they recommend helps prevent the build up of algae. If you go to Jewsons paint section you can ask them to mix any colour from the Dulux mixing range. It doesn't show up as a recipe for the masonry paint suggested but they can get around that by entering it as emulsion for the computer but using a can of the masonry paint. I chose Velvet Ribbon 4 The masonry paint is only in a range from white to cream/beige/magnolia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stehaggan Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 is it not made from polystyrene? it looks like it... i am on the edge of a beehaus buy to start beekeeping :-S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 Yes, it's compressed polystyrene, very smooth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 Lesley, thanks for the tip re jewsons. stehaggan, yes it's food grade heavy poly, really easy to put together. Looking forward to running wood and poly over winter as a comparison. Two supers are deep enough to run as a 14 x 12 if you are using the MB floor. If you are putting the boxes on top of another brood, say to do a Bailey frame change, then you do need a 20mm eke. It's all top space which is what I have on my wooden Nats. I wouldn't personally go for the beehaus; there is lots of discussion about issues on http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 I'm following your progress Please keep us updated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kermit Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 I agree with OSH. I'd look at other designs first and rule them out before going for a beehaus. Think about what others in the area are doing. Lots of people have tried Dartingtons and stopped using them. It may be pretty, but is it good? Read elswhere on here for opinions on Omlet hives - especially with regard to supers... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stehaggan Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 I think I have definitely reconsidered a beehaus. Look forward to the outcome of this new one. It is the same size frames as a national or do you need o buy special ones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 Yes BS national frames though with a bit of jiggling you can make it 14 x 12. There is a proper 14 x 12 format in the pipeline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 I found some of the criticism of MBS was with foundation and I have written to Hannah with a few pointers, and also provided a link for her perusal. The website will be updated shortly, I am assured, but mostly it has been a bit rushed since the Stoneleigh event. You may be aware that the company has changed hands recently, although the previous owner remains available for assistance to the new people in charge. The lady now in charge is a beekeeper. It is quite clear from the web, exactly what the basic hive consists of: comprising roof, brood chamber, cambuckle strap, Inner hive cover and floor with plastic mesh and slide out varroa tray. (direct copy from the order point on the website) There is no ambiguity regarding a queen excluder - and you would not need one for that basic complete hive. I actually read complete as meaning you could hive bees in it (with frames and foundation as extras, of course). For me a complete hive would comprise two supers as well, at least. Anyone who expects absolutely everything for sixty quid is a little too hopeful, I think. On other pages paint is listed and that is an omission from this page at the moment. The site, I have found, is quite user friendly in that delivery charges are included before payment details are required - something that bugs me on many internet sites! - but the National part does need to be made more comprehensive. I have only ordered from the site on three occasions and the service and delivery so far has been excellent. I am expecting it to continue in a similar fashion. I am looking forward to receiving my polynational(s) for evaluation in due course, but have adequate kit around for most eventualities (I would hope!), so no rush for me. And yes, painting polyhives is a bear! I have seven jumbo nucs awaiting attention. Might be a spray gun job. RAB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
