Anyone use plastic bee hives?

Culley · November 23, 2014, 10:44:09 PM

Quote
So far I cant see any advantages of wood apart from cost but maybe I'm worrying too much and they will last ok. Also worry about bee's and honey being exposed to the copper nap when paintwork deteriorates.

Willy

Willy, I look after some hives in Northern NSW too, in an area where it rains all the time and we have white ants (like termites) that eat wood too! I find if the wooden stuff is put together well and painted well, and kept off the ground, it lasts well. I've never tried plastic hives.

But here's an advantage. If a corner of a super gets bad, I can cut the super in half and make it into a nuc. I can easily make supers into bottom boxes, etc, or make bottom boxes into supers.

I don't know how plastic compares to wood in providing insulation.

Burta · January 07, 2015, 09:11:07 PM

Hello,
I'm about to start out with bees & find this forum very informative. I located on the Mid North Coast of NSW, Aust, and my plan is to start with a few hives, but as I have just sold my business, I may get into bees commercially down the track. therefore I'd like to makesure I get the correct gear first up. I'm pretty sold on plastic boxes over timber, for all the reasons given above. It seems you get a different answer from everyone you ask, and the more experienced people don't seem that keen on plastic. If I could get some feedback on the below points, it would be much appreciated;
* which supplier of plastic boxes is best, as they all seem to have their positives & negatives?
* do you need vented lids and bottom boards for my area?
* do you need small hive beetle traps in each hive for my area? Do beetle traps work with vented bottom board?
* what foundation to use? The feedback so far has been not to use full plastic in the brood, but it is ok for the supers, is this correct?
Thanks in advance.

Culley · January 07, 2015, 11:20:50 PM

Quote from: Burta on January 07, 2015, 09:11:07 PM
Hello,
I'm about to start out with bees & find this forum very informative. I located on the Mid North Coast of NSW, Aust, and my plan is to start with a few hives, but as I have just sold my business, I may get into bees commercially down the track. therefore I'd like to makesure I get the correct gear first up. I'm pretty sold on plastic boxes over timber, for all the reasons given above. It seems you get a different answer from everyone you ask, and the more experienced people don't seem that keen on plastic. If I could get some feedback on the below points, it would be much appreciated;
* which supplier of plastic boxes is best, as they all seem to have their positives & negatives?
* do you need vented lids and bottom boards for my area?
* do you need small hive beetle traps in each hive for my area? Do beetle traps work with vented bottom board?
* what foundation to use? The feedback so far has been not to use full plastic in the brood, but it is ok for the supers, is this correct?
Thanks in advance.

Welcome to the forum Burta. It's a good idea to post a hello in the introductions section and make sure to check out the Down Under forum.

I have hives in the Northern Rivers, NSW. Most people (including me) use vented lids. You need something to control small hive beetles. They are very serious in Northern NSW. I'm using Apithor.

Richard M · January 13, 2015, 04:32:43 AM

Quote from: amun-ra 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 ??????

Boil em?

kalium · January 13, 2015, 08:32:26 AM

Quote from: Richard M on January 13, 2015, 04:32:43 AM
Quote from: amun-ra 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 ??????

Boil em?

Not hot enough. People who use wax dipping heat it to 160c for 10 mins

Michael Bush · January 13, 2015, 09:26:20 AM

I know it's old but I can't help it...

>from what I hear the terms are pretty similar but our US cousins say aluminium funny

Actually after we spell it correctly, "aluminum," it's pronounced correctly "a LUM i num". The way you spell it, I suppose you HAVE to call it "al you MIN i um" Your version has five syllables (or is it sy LAB bles) and ours has four...

The only weirder thing than "al you MIN i um" is "EVIL lution."

lomatia · January 13, 2015, 05:17:42 PM

I would miss the assembly part of wooden boxes! Somehow I find it quite relaxing. Just me I guess!

OldMech · January 13, 2015, 07:09:50 PM

Over here its a Jaguar over there its a Jagua? Over here a boot is what we wear out in the mud, over there its the trunk of a car? A bonnet might be a womans hat, OR the HOOD of a car? Over there pi$$ed is drunk, over here its mad.. I could go on for a while!!

If I had AFB in plastic, be it a hive or frames theyd still get burnt just as fast as I could coat them with gasoline, throw the match and run. I have no intent of fooling around with AFB in any way shape or form. Went ot a meeting where a fellow brought frames to show everyone AFB Scales.. I backed out the door and left as fast as I could.. silly? Maybe, but dont care!!!

Richard M · January 17, 2015, 05:45:23 PM

Quote from: Michael Bush on January 13, 2015, 09:26:20 AM
I know it's old but I can't help it...

>from what I hear the terms are pretty similar but our US cousins say aluminium funny

Actually after we spell it correctly, "aluminum," it's pronounced correctly "a LUM i num". The way you spell it, I suppose you HAVE to call it "al you MIN i um" Your version has five syllables (or is it sy LAB bles) and ours has four...

The only weirder thing than "al you MIN i um" is "EVIL lution."

How about Labratory, Nukuler and Misserl?

Oh and deeeefence.

And Erbs.

Chiefman · January 17, 2015, 07:42:50 PM

Quote from: Richard M on January 17, 2015, 05:45:23 PM

How about Labratory, Nukler and Misserl?

Oh and deeeefence.

And Erbs.

The others i can understand but I could never get how they call it "Erbs".. Silent H like a silent G in Gnome

max2 · January 18, 2015, 01:13:11 AM

Over the years I have tried most new things in Beekeeping ...and have come to the conclusion that timber, wax and Stainless Steel ( for wire) is best accepted by my bees and I stick to it.

Richard M · January 30, 2015, 09:56:03 PM

Quote from: max2 on January 18, 2015, 01:13:11 AM
Over the years I have tried most new things in Beekeeping ...and have come to the conclusion that timber, wax and Stainless Steel ( for wire) is best accepted by my bees and I stick to it.

As a time-poor hobbyist who can't be bothered with spending hours of downtime and cleaning up the mess of, preserving and painting or watching stuff go rotten, the idea of plastic hives suits me.

Having seen wild hives which have voluntarily established themselves inside derelict car bodies, piles of tyres, 44 gallon drums and plastic compost bins, I think the bees will accept anything as long as it's reasonably weather-tight and sufficiently spacious.

I took delivery of a couple Nuplas hives this week - assembly took maybe 2 mins per box; the bases and lids are ready made, no assembly required and they are built like the proverbial brick sh-thouse, very robust.

They were a bit pricey, compared with buying timber components but by the time you price in the cost of paint, the time taken to paint them; [I'm self-employed with limited spare time, so unless it's something I actually enjoy doing, (I hate painting), then the hours spent painting are very costly to me] so I reckon that they are cost effective in the long term.

I'm sticking with timber/wire frames though. I enjoy making those up, wiring & embedding, so the above stricture doesn't apply.

Rouseabout · February 10, 2015, 08:57:36 AM

I built my last 2 backyard hives from pine and really enjoyed the process, it was winter and I had some spare time. If you want to do it right, it takes time to soak and dry in copper napthenate, assemble & glue, paint with undercoat & 2 top coats..,.. Yawn...

I needed a hive for a new package arriving this week, so I ordered a Hassons Aussie hive. Arrived today and I'm impressed, very solid, no joins and the components fit well. Will be using wooden frames and wax, its a bit more expensive but I am expecting longevity and no maintenance....

Spyk · February 11, 2015, 09:35:23 PM

So - Its a year on with my "2 Plastic TechnosetBee Hives".

I'm phasing them out...

1) The boxes are not solid ( they are hollow ) - and water getting into the actual boxes is problematic
Nothing like having a gush of water go into your hive when your taking a super off... :/
They also have holes in the tops where the top and bottom halves of each super are sort of
screwed together .. these also get water in , which goes yukky over time , impossible to
clean and just not something I want close to my beautiful girls.

2) They are *not standard size ( no matter what it says on the web )- you can not buy a standard
Super and mix and match your hive equipment. The Technoset are a bit wider so things don't quite
fit right .... standard lids etc are not an option .

3) One of my lids is sort of starting to come apart at the top.

4) It might take 10 of the technoset plastic frames tightly , but 10 normal frames leaves
a lot of room at either side - and it wont take 11 standard wood frames if you wanted that

So I'm giving wood a try :-)

Cheers

Michael Bush · February 12, 2015, 08:40:53 AM

>How about Labratory

Yes... how do you get La BORE a tory out of Labratory. What happened to the "r" after the "b". Why did it move to after the "a"?

Geoff · February 12, 2015, 04:34:05 PM

Liked your post Richard M, as has been pointed out many times before the bees dont read the manuals, Beekeeping for Dummies or I have not seen them posting on this forum.

Lone · February 13, 2015, 02:33:10 AM

QuoteActually after we spell it correctly, "aluminum," it's pronounced correctly "a LUM i num". The way you spell it, I suppose you HAVE to call it "al you MIN i um" Your version has five syllables (or is it sy LAB bles) and ours has four...

al you MIN yum is only 4 syllables. We also say al oo MIN yum.

QuoteOver here its a Jaguar over there its a Jagua? Over here a boot is what we wear out in the mud, over there its the trunk of a car? A bonnet might be a womans hat, OR the HOOD of a car? Over there pi$$ed is drunk, over here its mad.. I could go on for a while!!

How'd ya learn strine so good? By the way, over here mad is more often bonkers whereas over there mad is always angry.

QuoteYes... how do you get La BORE a tory out of Labratory. What happened to the "r" after the "b". Why did it move to after the "a"?

Maybe 'cos there's an O missing...

Lone

Richard M · February 15, 2015, 01:53:50 AM

Quote from: Michael Bush on February 12, 2015, 08:40:53 AM
>How about Labratory

Yes... how do you get La BORE a tory out of Labratory. What happened to the "r" after the "b". Why did it move to after the "a"?

Simple answer:

We don't.

Because in the civilised world (ie British Commonwealth - sorry you guys in the USA got out 145 years too early so don't qualify) it's spelled "laboratory", not labratory. This comes about because these days, not all labs have lab rats in them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laboratory

Richard M · February 15, 2015, 01:56:03 AM

Quote from: amun-ra on November 05, 2013, 07:56:48 AM
yes I would not burn them either but looking from a townsville point of view freight is a killer
and if you have a lot of hives not worth the trip to brisi to clean them up

I got my Nuplas shipment for $30 and that's a flat rate anywhere (within reason) in Australia.

I suspect 250km down the gravelly track inland of Marble Bar would not be considered "within reason" but Townsville should be ok. (Just).

Willy · February 16, 2015, 04:22:52 AM

Quote from: Richard M on January 30, 2015, 09:56:03 PM
Quote from: max2 on January 18, 2015, 01:13:11 AM
Over the years I have tried most new things in Beekeeping ...and have come to the conclusion that timber, wax and Stainless Steel ( for wire) is best accepted by my bees and I stick to it.

As a time-poor hobbyist who can't be bothered with spending hours of downtime and cleaning up the mess of, preserving and painting or watching stuff go rotten, the idea of plastic hives suits me.

Having seen wild hives which have voluntarily established themselves inside derelict car bodies, piles of tyres, 44 gallon drums and plastic compost bins, I think the bees will accept anything as long as it's reasonably weather-tight and sufficiently spacious.

I took delivery of a couple Nuplas hives this week - assembly took maybe 2 mins per box; the bases and lids are ready made, no assembly required and they are built like the proverbial brick sh-thouse, very robust.

They were a bit pricey, compared with buying timber components but by the time you price in the cost of paint, the time taken to paint them; [I'm self-employed with limited spare time, so unless it's something I actually enjoy doing, (I hate painting), then the hours spent painting are very costly to me] so I reckon that they are cost effective in the long term.

I'm sticking with timber/wire frames though. I enjoy making those up, wiring & embedding, so the above stricture doesn't apply.

My sentiments exactly. If you put a value on your labour it wouldn't surprise me if plastic worked out cheaper. There's nothing worse than finding out that you dont have enough boxes to get you through the season and have to start assembling, treating.....waiting..... then painting.... and painting..... and painting.....meanwhile your bees are going gangbusters.
With the limited spare time I have available there's no way I could have kept up with my bees this season without plastic.

Willy