I just acquired a hive from a university and the bees chewed around the entrance reducer and under the lid. So I think people would want to follow your advise and paint both inside and outside.
I am in Australia and have used these for several years now. With our extremes of heat ( 0 -40+ C . 30 -100+ F) they keep the bees warm in winter and cool in summer. And they last much longer than wooden boxes. I have not had to replace any yet!
Thanks for the video. I'm a new beekeeper and have already switched from my wooden boxes to the paradise boxes as a concern for my first winter with the bees. The insulation these boxes provide just make more sense then adding insulation, wrapping, etc. Keeping my fingers crossed for a healthy winter hive.
Hi Tony.Im your neighbor across the river Pendleton county kentucky. I to use the polys .The bees have less stress in them.The interlocking boxes stop drafts and robbing.thanks for the share.🐝safe and keep your smoker lit!!! Konrad
You will like them. Paint with exterior grade paint. Keep off the ground so animals do not chew thru them. I recommend using a piece of clear plastic as an inner cover otherwise they really stick the covers down.
I bought 5 paradise bee box’s and only had one survive overwintering. Had bees for 15yrs the only thing I didn’t get when I bought them from previous owner was a bottom screen cover and maybe that is needed for overwintering. But the kangaroos around where I live like a good chew on them. The jury is out on poly hives I guess for me somewhat anyway.
Thanks Dan. I'm sure there are Beekeepers interested in these but not knowing anyone with one, are reluctant to buy one blindly. I hope this information is useful to everyone.
Thanks for posting this one for us. I came across someone in Australia who uses these boxes. Your conditions over there in Ohio are very similar to mine and I was concerned that these might be hard to keep cool in the summer heat but it sounds like the opposite is true. I'd like to give them a trial in my yard. Good work on the review!
I really like these boxes. I have a box to do minor repairs to due to ants digging into it. No problem, got the ants gone and swapped out the box. No worse than what they do to wood boxes. Easy to repair and repaint. If you haven't seen it, check out my first video on these boxes too.
These look like some pretty good boxes and having a better R-value is always a plus. I know I have just purchased a bunch of the Apimaye boxes that have a similar R-value to the polystyrene and should out last wooden where by a significant amount. Thanks for sharing my friend.
The Apimaye is more sturdy than the high density polystyrene hives. For the hobbyist, both are a very good choice. Without wax dipping wood boxes, which is not available to most Beekeepers, wood boxes start to fail at 4-5 years old no matter how much paint is added. The added R value is a huge plus. Wood boxes have an R value of .75, about 1/10 of these hives or a tree cavity. This is the type of information I like to share to help other Beeks out. Thanks for watching.
Make my own insulated hives with about the same R value insulation. Cover the tops with extra foam and have no upper ventilation so they act as condensing hives. This means they have they not only keep warm in winter but have plenty of water at hand, essential for breaking down crystalised honey. They consume less than half the stores of uninsulated wooden hives and are way, way ahead come spring. They never beard in summer and because hive is cool in summer so they don't waste time fanning resulting in being far more productive. In Slovennia where hives are kept in closed insulated barns with only the fronts exposed to the outside honey production increases by 10%. Will be interesting to see how the Bee Box Smart System works from the same company. Looks like this Finnish company have sorted out all the Flow hive honey frame problems and will be an excellent investment as well as being fun!
I like the Paradise boxes but do have problems with tiny ants chewing into the boxes. On my wooden boxes, I insulate the roof and use the condensing hive method, it works well.
Hi all, anybody had exp using these in really hot weather? I am in far NW Australia, temps are mid 30s -40 degrees C from October to April. Wondering how these hives do in these temps. Thanks
Thank you for the video. I just disagree with the painting on the inside. It's a very hard material and never heard of anyone in Europe, that hast issues as your concerns are. Try them without painting the inside. You will see, that there is nothing to worry about.
I've had the bees chew on the boxes during the dearth when populations are high and there isn't much for them to do. Painting seems to prevent or at least slow it down and the bees will cover it with propolis. I have also noticed a density difference in various brands of poly boxes. I have a friend in France that recommended painting to stop or slow the bee chewing down as he had a problem with it years ago.
I have not used them. In the late spring and summer when the hive is built up, they are too restrictive. I do plan on trying a couple this winter but they will come back off in April. Overall I do like these hives.
Not at all. We use a non toxic latex exterior grade paint. The poly needs sealed up to keep the bees from chewing on it. No different that painting a poly division board (very common in Europe) to reduce/prevent chewing. Been done for over 40 years with no I'll effect. I have little bee chewing.
My mentor was a pollinator in New Jersey. He encouraged painting the inside of the boxes. Easy to remove propolis. Some of those boxes are twenty one years old and now showing their wear. Those are wooden boxes. I assisted a professor at our local agriculture college who discouraged painting the inside of the box. He said the bees propolize the inside and so it’s not needed. Depends on where you’re taught I guess.
You shouldn't paint the inside. All my hives are poly, and at least 50% of beekeepers in my association have poly. Never seen anyone paint the inside. Never had bees chew on the styropor either.
I just acquired a hive from a university and the bees chewed around the entrance reducer and under the lid. So I think people would want to follow your advise and paint both inside and outside.
Painting really reduces the chewing quite a bit. Thanks for watching.
I am in Australia and have used these for several years now. With our extremes of heat ( 0 -40+ C . 30 -100+ F) they keep the bees warm in winter and cool in summer. And they last much longer than wooden boxes. I have not had to replace any yet!
I prefer them myself, the bees do well in them and with the cost increase of lumber, they are competitive in prices. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the video. I'm a new beekeeper and have already switched from my wooden boxes to the paradise boxes as a concern for my first winter with the bees. The insulation these boxes provide just make more sense then adding insulation, wrapping, etc. Keeping my fingers crossed for a healthy winter hive.
Good luck with your bees. I have several of these hives and overall really like them.
Hi Tony.Im your neighbor across the river Pendleton county kentucky. I to use the polys .The bees have less stress in them.The interlocking boxes stop drafts and robbing.thanks for the share.🐝safe and keep your smoker lit!!!
Konrad
I'm glad they are working for you. I sure like them as you can tell from this video. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the video, I plan on using the (6) frame poly nucs this year 2023 to see how they do
You will like them.
Paint with exterior grade paint.
Keep off the ground so animals do not chew thru them.
I recommend using a piece of clear plastic as an inner cover otherwise they really stick the covers down.
I bought 5 paradise bee box’s and only had one survive overwintering. Had bees for 15yrs the only thing I didn’t get when I bought them from previous owner was a bottom screen cover and maybe that is needed for overwintering. But the kangaroos around where I live like a good chew on them. The jury is out on poly hives I guess for me somewhat anyway.
Great follow-up Tony! Lot's of great tips too!
Thanks Dan. I'm sure there are Beekeepers interested in these but not knowing anyone with one, are reluctant to buy one blindly. I hope this information is useful to everyone.
Thanks for posting this one for us. I came across someone in Australia who uses these boxes. Your conditions over there in Ohio are very similar to mine and I was concerned that these might be hard to keep cool in the summer heat but it sounds like the opposite is true. I'd like to give them a trial in my yard. Good work on the review!
I really like these boxes. I have a box to do minor repairs to due to ants digging into it. No problem, got the ants gone and swapped out the box. No worse than what they do to wood boxes. Easy to repair and repaint. If you haven't seen it, check out my first video on these boxes too.
have a great honey harvest this season!🍯🐝
Thank you!
Thanks
I like them. Not as durable as wood though. Ask me how I know 😆
These look like some pretty good boxes and having a better R-value is always a plus. I know I have just purchased a bunch of the Apimaye boxes that have a similar R-value to the polystyrene and should out last wooden where by a significant amount. Thanks for sharing my friend.
The Apimaye is more sturdy than the high density polystyrene hives. For the hobbyist, both are a very good choice. Without wax dipping wood boxes, which is not available to most Beekeepers, wood boxes start to fail at 4-5 years old no matter how much paint is added. The added R value is a huge plus. Wood boxes have an R value of .75, about 1/10 of these hives or a tree cavity. This is the type of information I like to share to help other Beeks out. Thanks for watching.
@@tonywestsbees6042 The Apimaye boxes have a R-value of around 6.93 I believe which will make them very good for my climate.
Make my own insulated hives with about the same R value insulation. Cover the tops with extra foam and have no upper ventilation so they act as condensing hives. This means they have they not only keep warm in winter but have plenty of water at hand, essential for breaking down crystalised honey. They consume less than half the stores of uninsulated wooden hives and are way, way ahead come spring. They never beard in summer and because hive is cool in summer so they don't waste time fanning resulting in being far more productive.
In Slovennia where hives are kept in closed insulated barns with only the fronts exposed to the outside honey production increases by 10%.
Will be interesting to see how the Bee Box Smart System works from the same company. Looks like this Finnish company have sorted out all the Flow hive honey frame problems and will be an excellent investment as well as being fun!
I like the Paradise boxes but do have problems with tiny ants chewing into the boxes. On my wooden boxes, I insulate the roof and use the condensing hive method, it works well.
What flow hive honey problems? Mine work great.
Hi all, anybody had exp using these in really hot weather? I am in far NW Australia, temps are mid 30s -40 degrees C from October to April. Wondering how these hives do in these temps. Thanks
I was hoping someone would answer this. I have read these are used in your heat with good results. Maybe someone will still chime in.
I have the ones from superior bee, And I love them
Good to hear. Tiny ants burrowing into the polystyrene is the only real problem I have with mine.
Thank you for the video. I just disagree with the painting on the inside. It's a very hard material and never heard of anyone in Europe, that hast issues as your concerns are. Try them without painting the inside. You will see, that there is nothing to worry about.
I've had the bees chew on the boxes during the dearth when populations are high and there isn't much for them to do. Painting seems to prevent or at least slow it down and the bees will cover it with propolis. I have also noticed a density difference in various brands of poly boxes. I have a friend in France that recommended painting to stop or slow the bee chewing down as he had a problem with it years ago.
The sales guy in Melbourne reckons the bees like eating the foam.
I found that a couple coats of paint on the inside stops most of the chewing by the bees. These have their good and bad points. Thanks for watching.
Have you ever used the plastic entrance that they came with? I don't like them.
I have not used them. In the late spring and summer when the hive is built up, they are too restrictive. I do plan on trying a couple this winter but they will come back off in April. Overall I do like these hives.
Aren't you worried about bees exposed to paint on the inside?
Not at all. We use a non toxic latex exterior grade paint. The poly needs sealed up to keep the bees from chewing on it. No different that painting a poly division board (very common in Europe) to reduce/prevent chewing. Been done for over 40 years with no I'll effect. I have little bee chewing.
My mentor was a pollinator in New Jersey. He encouraged painting the inside of the boxes. Easy to remove propolis. Some of those boxes are twenty one years old and now showing their wear. Those are wooden boxes.
I assisted a professor at our local agriculture college who discouraged painting the inside of the box. He said the bees propolize the inside and so it’s not needed.
Depends on where you’re taught I guess.
You shouldn't paint the inside. All my hives are poly, and at least 50% of beekeepers in my association have poly. Never seen anyone paint the inside. Never had bees chew on the styropor either.