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Author Topic: Anyone use plastic bee hives?  (Read 32248 times)

Offline squidink

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Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« on: January 23, 2013, 07:06:58 am »
Out of interest does anyone use plastic bee hives such as Hasson's?

I have ordered a plastic hive to try out but wondered what people's experience both positive and negative are?

Ben


Offline chriso38

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2013, 08:34:57 am »
Yeah i looked into it, and seemed a bit expensive. so still with wood :)

Offline AllenF

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #2 on: January 23, 2013, 04:26:16 pm »
I do have a plastic super or two that came from the 80s.  The plastic inner cover and top cover tend to sweat for some reason.   I don't have any in use right now.   But they are still solid. 

Offline prestonpaul

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #3 on: January 23, 2013, 06:39:20 pm »
I've checked them out as I hate painting, and while the concept is great they are fairly expensive!

Offline ozebee

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2013, 02:01:29 am »
I have used them and find them far superior to wood - no need for painting and they don't rot. I also love the plastic frames which simply click together over a sheet of foundation.

Offline Anybrew

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2013, 02:07:34 am »
I have 9 Plastic hives made by Parkers and I love them, tough as nails I also use their plastic lids and use them on plastic and wood box,s.  The lids are awesome.

Cheers
Steve

Offline Finski

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2013, 03:05:08 am »
.
I have used them 25 years in Finland
.
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Language barrier NOT included

Offline max2

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #7 on: February 17, 2013, 01:55:21 am »
I have not used them myself but inspected one for a friend. It was during our dry season but I was amazed by the amount of condensation which run off. Maybe a design peoblem? or a climatic issue?
I only use timber here for the last 35 years and have been happy.

Offline edward

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #8 on: February 17, 2013, 03:57:56 pm »
I have not used them myself but inspected one for a friend. It was during our dry season but I was amazed by the amount of condensation which run off. Maybe a design peoblem? or a climatic issue?

Sounds like he didn't ventilate properly.


mvh edward  :-P

Offline Finski

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2013, 03:40:22 am »
I have not used them myself but inspected one for a friend. It was during our dry season

That is odd.
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Language barrier NOT included

Offline max2

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2013, 04:27:33 am »
I have not used them myself but inspected one for a friend. It was during our dry season but I was amazed by the amount of condensation which run off. Maybe a design peoblem? or a climatic issue?

Sounds like he didn't ventilate properly.


Indeed - there was no ventilation in the lid at all...

Offline edward

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2013, 07:03:14 am »
"Indeed - there was no ventilation in the lid at all..."

Sounds like there was not ventilation in the bottom board either.


mvh edward  :-P

Offline 123_Bee

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #12 on: February 22, 2013, 09:49:56 am »
I use polystyrene hives. They don't seem to sweat, and there is less condensation than in the wooden hives I used to use because the walls don't absorb atmospheric moisture - and we had plenty of "atmospheric moisture" last year.

All my hives have open mesh floors and an acrylic crown board which is covered with a thick slab of polystyrene beneath an aluminium roof. They're all on stands about 18 inches high, so well above the ground.

(Sorry if the terms I've used don't match US ones, I hope somebody can translate.)

Offline Lone

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2013, 04:51:34 am »
Quote
Sorry if the terms I've used don't match US ones, I hope somebody can translate

123 bee, from what I hear the terms are pretty similar but our US cousins say aluminium funny   :-D

I don't use plastic hives by the way but I have seen them here in the tropics.

Lone

Offline Wonga

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #14 on: March 19, 2013, 07:43:52 pm »
So, 123,

Are your polystyrene boxes specially manufactured, or are you using recycled fruit boxes from the fruit n veg. shop? Cos I have been contemplating recycled boxes for a while . . . .

Offline 123_Bee

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #15 on: March 29, 2013, 05:12:59 pm »
The ones I use are made by Swienty, but there are quite a few other European manufacturers. Fruit boxes aren't dense enough to be used, the bes chew them.

Offline edward

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #16 on: March 29, 2013, 05:47:40 pm »
All my hive are poly hives from swienty and I am very happy with them  :-D

mvh edward  :-P

Offline halfabee

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #17 on: November 04, 2013, 05:11:00 pm »
I am using the TechnosetBee hives that became available a few years ago in Australia, I initially started with just 1 to see how they compared and was happily surprised at how well they are made and how well the bees work with them. The appear to be more cost effective that other three plastic hives currently available in Australia (Hasson, Parker & Nuplas) and the quality is exceptional.

The are available from betterbeehives (com.au) though I have also seen them available on ebay.

regards

Offline amun-ra

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #18 on: November 04, 2013, 06:25:03 pm »
what do you do if you are unlucky enough to get AFB in a plastic box
you cant burn them ??????
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Offline OldMech

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Re: Anyone use plastic bee hives?
« Reply #19 on: November 05, 2013, 12:23:18 am »
what do you do if you are unlucky enough to get AFB in a plastic box
you cant burn them ??????


   I suppose that depends on where you live....     :evil:
   Does plastic or the foam boxes retain AFB if you clean them? Can you scorch plastic/foam?
39 Hives and growing.  Havent found the end of the comfort zone yet.

 

anything