The i-bee hive -- your initial thoughts?

G'day everyone

Yes, every now and then there's a new beehive on the market, and this time it's no different. The Dutch commercial beekeeping company De Valksche Bijenhof is now marketing their own hive which they have used for while themselves.

http://www.bijenhouden.nl/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=27828
http://www.bijenbestuiving.nl/index.php/Bijenkast_kunststof_licht_gewicht.html
http://www.bijenbestuiving.nl/index...tl_files/bestanden/_notes/I-bee bijenkast.pdf

Sorry, it's all in Dutch, but there are pictures and some words are "international". Your [preliminary] thoughts?

The hive is supposed to handle travelling better than a poly hive. It's made from some kind of layered plastic which is supposedly very rigid (so it won't warp) yet lightweight and easy to clean. They don't make a bottom board but it was made to fit on a Nicot board. It takes simplex frames, by the way (presumably the Dutch size, i.e. long ears) (which, I'm told, is the same as British National).

They haven't published the price list yet, but they've indicated a price of EUR 40-50 per chamber, and they indicated that it will likely also be available as flat pack.

Samuel

It looks like something IKEA would sell lol

if it is a simplex style hive then it is 46cmx46cm and takes 11 long lug frames national frames and would be compatible with a top bee space national

It is basically a styro foam BS modified National,with top bee space whereas most Dutch hives i have seen have been BS Double walled nationals ( i.e. the earlier type with commercial type hand holds)

intial thoughts, i prefer runners in a brood box as easier to slide brood frames around rather than push brood frames into the fixed constellations

MuswellMetro said:

I prefer runners in a brood box as easier to slide brood frames around rather than push brood frames into the fixed constellations.

Click to expand...

Well, in the poly simplexes that we use hereabouts (e.g. Segeberger) the castellations can be taken out -- it's basically a strip that sits in a groove. The fact that the site says you can use it with both 10 and 11 frames implies to me that you can even take out the castellations if you would want to.

That said, taking out the castellations without replacing it with something else will mess with bee space, because these particular hives are designed with top bee space (so taking out the castellations will result in double bee space at the top of the top chamber and may cause the frames in the bottom chamber to press against the bottom board). If I understand correctly.

Plus points .. They give the thermal performance of the material.
Minus point .. The thermal performance is poor as the material is very thin.

Bit like EDAM cheese........ will never replace good old ENGLISH Cheddar!

ugcheleuce said:

Well, in the poly simplexes that we use hereabouts (e.g. Segeberger) the castellations can be taken out -- it's basically a strip that sits in a groove. The fact that the site says you can use it with both 10 and 11 frames implies to me that you can even take out the castellations if you would want to.

That said, taking out the castellations without replacing it with something else will mess with bee space, because these particular hives are designed with top bee space (so taking out the castellations will result in double bee space at the top of the top chamber and may cause the frames in the bottom chamber to press against the bottom board). If I understand correctly.

Click to expand...

Standard metal runners or castlelations can be inserted in the grooves in our national supers , i suspect the runners would also fit in the simplex grooves, and if not require only a little moiifacation to fit

The top bee space is more of a problem as most national sold in the uk are bottom bee space