Styrofoam Hives?

[knpeterson]

I have seen what looks like styrofoam hives for sale on some websites. What is the purpose of these? Is it supposed to be cheaper or is there something about the foam that increases honey or brood? I would think that skunks and coons could shred that stuff easily to get to the goodies inside. Anyone have any experience with these? Thoughts? :scratch:

[Eyeshooter]

I have 2 Beemax hives from Betterbee. Both made it through the winter without issue. The insulation value of the polystyrene keeps the hives warmer in winter, cooler in summer. My hives are enclosed with an electric fence and I have no issues with critters. One has to be careful scraping propolis, prying the boxes apart, etc so not to damage the supers. As is common with any hive, 2 coats of good latex paint are mandatory.

John

[Roland]

But do NOT try the AFB scorch on the expanded Polystyrene.......

Roland

[odfrank]

I have several Styrofoam fish shipping boxes made into bait hives. The bees take to them very well.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t7/odfrank/IMG_0491.jpg

[odfrank]

This swarm came into the Styrofoam fish box a week before the one in the previous post.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWujzDDUERM

[Countryboy]

I have a couple polystyrene hives.

As mentioned before, you have to be a little more gentle prying on them.

The outer dimensions are not the same as woodenware. They are bigger. They don't sit right on a regular bottom board, and you have to make sure you have the big lid - a regular telescoping lid won't fit over it.

I've noticed condensation issues if you don't provide upper ventilation.

Don't worry about skunks and coons - worry about bee termites eating and tunneling through the styrofoam from the inside out.

I think they would be fine if all you used were the polystyrene hives, and they were in a permanent location. The difficulties interchanging boxes, bottom boards, and lids and dimensional issues are a pain. I don't mix and match anymore - the hive is either all polystyrene, or none.

Other than that, I think they are great.

Over in Europe, a molded styrofoam hive is common. Each box is one piece, and it is a harder, more durable styrofoam. Those boxes are spoken highly of by Europeans.

[Tom G. Laury]

There was an article in the ABJ recently detailing wax moth reproduction in styrofoam. Anybody see it? But my problem is when I get wine or other things like that in shipping, I can't recycle the styro.
od can you guys recycle that stuff or is that why it's easy to get for your uses.? Not criticizing just curious because styro is a dilemma for me as far as proper disposal.

[odfrank]

> worry about bee termites eating and tunneling through the styrofoam from the inside out.

I hear and see them doing that to my fish boxes. Do they eat the BeeMax hives also?

>od can you guys recycle that stuff -

It is probably landfill material, but I save it from the landfill for several more uses before it goes in by using it for bait hives.

[hilreal]

Wax moth larvae will drill through the strofoam like candy. I do not have any hives but do use the covers on my wooden boxes for insulating value. Had one hive at a distant location get moths badly and the cover is full of holes.

[knpeterson]

Wow! Odfrank, I believe you are right about the bees taking to the styrofoam pretty well! :)

[Beaches' Bee-Haven Apiary]

Wax moth larvae will drill through the strofoam like candy. I do not have any hives but do use the covers on my wooden boxes for insulating value. Had one hive at a distant location get moths badly and the cover is full of holes.

I noticed they were doing that in the hives I lost last year, I'll have to track down that ABJ article.

-Nathan

[Countryboy]

> worry about bee termites eating and tunneling through the styrofoam from the inside out.

I hear and see them doing that to my fish boxes. Do they eat the BeeMax hives also?

Yes, they eat the BeeMax hives too. I don't know how long it takes them though. I got some BeeMax hives with some used stuff I got from a retiring beekeeper. Some of the parts were pretty ate up.

I read something a while back and they said 2 coats of paint on the inside would keep the bees from eating the styrofoam. I've never tried it, but it's something to keep in mind if someone wanted to use styrofoam hives.

[My-smokepole]

I haven't bought any yet. But have work with them through a club member. In some ways I like them and other ways I hate them. If I buy them The one thing I will do to them Is add some fiberglass to the top and bottom edges. Just to harden them up. and the way you folks are talking about wax moth may be some resin over the box. Just some thoughts.
David/toledo

[odfrank]

Well, my use of Styrofoam fish shipping boxes for bait hives has proven questionable. Since they were eight frames, I left the bait swarms in for about a month. When I moved them home, both had eaten through the bottom and around the entrance and leaked a lot. So the caveat, they work well for short term use, but don't leave the swarms in long.


http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t7/odfrank/eatenfishboxes.jpg