Poly Hive supers

[peteinwilts]

Hi Guys

I am thinking about making this year my last year for building hives, and start migrating to polyhives after the sales.

However, whilst performing a bit of a harvest, I was wondering how polyhive supers puts up with the weight and abuse that harvesting brings.

Thoughts?
Cheers
Pete

 

[oliver90owner]

Depends on what you intend over-wintering with, I reckon. Poly broods are good, but they would do better with a poly shallow of stores if you go that way. Apart from that, timber supers seem fine.

I would not even buy in another poly floor as timber is fine. Roofs? No odds if plenty of insulation below a timber roof.

It is not the building of hives that is the issue; it is simply that they over-winter better in poly. Most of mine are timber, because they were cheaper back then, but after over-wintering nucs in poly the difference is clearly in their favour.

Having said that lot, I am on 14 x 12 - and that may make a difference, particularly as the nucs are 6- framers. Try poly broods and some shallows and see how you go. The first super in the spring might be better in poly than timber.

RAB

 

[Bosleeu]

I find the poly supers stand up to it quite well. Have had some of them three years and although they are a bit faded they are still in good condition.

 

[dickndoris]

No problem with my paynes poly supers as yet. A little lubricant every now and then stops the sticking.The newer versions are a lot tougher but the older lids are now too small to fit them! Grrrrrrrr.

 

[herefordshirehoney]

I'm on swienty poly supers and had an issue if you put two many frames in (be it thornes seconds) that I've had two super cracked. At the moment there still usable but can't decide weather to switch to woodern supers as the bees do love them.

 

[itma]

I have Paynes. No problems so far, but I'm not brutal.
They take the weight of a full load of honey, no problem. But I don't throw them around (I can't ! )
Current production is denser & harder than my first ones. But there is a little more moulding 'flash' where the mould parts aren't sitting together perfectly. The unfortunate mould valve indents are still there, encroaching onto the mating surface, but a touch of filler rectifies the potential for becoming wasp entrances.
The revised Paynes roof is indeed much much better. You need a poly roof (its larger than standard wooden roofs) if the poly box is to go directly (ie without a wooden box on top of the Paynes poly box) under the roof.
I prefer using a framed rigid see-through coverboard, rather than the on-the-topbars flimsy that Paynes offer.

 

[Swarm]

I'm on swienty poly supers and had an issue if you put two many frames in (be it thornes seconds) that I've had two super cracked. At the moment there still usable but can't decide weather to switch to woodern supers as the bees do love them.

I've not used swienty supers as I've long since decided on wooden ones, for the paynes poly as well. It's the cheaper option.
If you decide to go paynes I'd say either one or the other. Wood on top of poly is fine but a full poly super on a wooden one, at head height is a total PITA.
Far easier and neater are the swienty boxes and wooden super and diy roof and floor will keep the cost down further while being just as good or better.

 

[BeeJayBee]

However, whilst performing a bit of a harvest, I was wondering how polyhive supers puts up with the weight and abuse that harvesting brings.

I use swienty langstroths, they're fine. The poly is a much higher density than vegetable boxes.

Check ITLD's albums, he's got several thousand poly hives http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/album.php?u=4812

 

[Falesh]

I'm using Modern Beekeeping poly langstroth hives and they are very sturdy and easy to handle.

 

[domino]

I'm toying with moving to poly hives next year, I use the Paynes nuc boxes and they are excellent.

I want to combine them with my 12x14 woodern stock, I'm just stumped by the amount of choice.

 

[madasafish]

I'm using Modern Beekeeping poly langstroth hives and they are very sturdy and easy to handle.

+1
And the bees in my single one are outperforming my two (full) wooden ones..

 

[Alabamaeee]

I use both the Paynes and Swienty poly supers, both are good but I find the Swienty poly easier to handle.

Domino, after trialling both Paynes 14x12 and Swienty the Swienty has come out tops for me as fas as quality of foam and compatibility with wooden parts are concerned. There have been many posts on this subject recently and in particular the new Swienty 14x12 design was discussed by myself and others in the forum, so may be worth a search.

 

[Swarm]

Lifting full paynes boxes is a PITA, the hand grip is poorly designed and that's being polite.

 

[Hachi]

Lifting full paynes boxes is a PITA, the hand grip is poorly designed and that's being polite.

I had reason to move two sets of two supers today and any heavier would have spelt trouble. Mental note to self, move one at a time when clearing etc

 

[domino]

Domino, after trialling both Paynes 14x12 and Swienty the Swienty has come out tops for me as fas as quality of foam and compatibility with wooden parts are concerned. There have been many posts on this subject recently and in particular the new Swienty 14x12 design was discussed by myself and others in the forum, so may be worth a search.

Thanks, I'm going to order two for next season.

 

[REDWOOD]

Do poly hive squeak when you rub the parts together, I didn't notice it on the one they had on the WBKA stand but the boxes were empty

 

[Bosleeu]

Do poly hive squeak when you rub the parts together, I didn't notice it on the one they had on the WBKA stand but the boxes were empty

Never noticed it on mine.

 

[Finman]

.
There should not be any strange in poly supers. They are used by tens of thousands of beekeepers. Many beekeepers use only Super boxes in their hives.

You may use wooden Super boxes too with poly supers. BUt look, where are the bee space situated, down or up in the box.

 

[Swarm]

Finman raises an important point, swienty are top bee space even if they do come with plastic runners. The runners lift the frames but there is no recess in the bottom of the boxes, the box will sit flush on the frame lugs of any box beneath. I left the runners out of mine, glad I did as TBS is much nicer. These brood chambers will not hold eleven frames, ten and a dummy but not eleven hoffmans. Using wooden supers may be a benefit as they hold more frames than the poly and because of the same external dimensions, all parts fit neatly. I rarely feed but I'm led to believe the feeder for the swienty nat is a very good design.

Edit: The hand grip is the same on all four sides.

 

[Swarm]

Do poly hive squeak when you rub the parts together, I didn't notice it on the one they had on the WBKA stand but the boxes were empty

Nope. I'd imagine they would if they were softer poly.