Plastic hives vs wooden hives

[Morgwino]

Hi all, I'm looking to get into beekeeping next year, and am putting together a list of what i need now. I'm located in ohio, and the plastic ones i've seen boast that they help hives overwinter, but i'm not sure if my winters would require it. They're pricier than normal hives, so I'd rather do the traditional kind if possible.

[JWPalmer]

From my perspective, polystyrene hives may have a benefit with helping the bees maintain the proper temps inside the hive, but they are not necessary for them to do so. A healthy hive will overwinter just fine in traditional boxes in Ohio. Thousands of hives already do. I also do not think the poly ones hold up as well. I use poly feeders and every year I have to use Elmer's wood putty to repair the dents, dings, and channels that get chewed into them. I would suggest just using the standard wood equipment to start your adventure and picking up a poly hive or two in a few years to experiment with.

[snl]

I really like the polyproline supers from Mother Lode. No painting, snap together …...Now, I still use wood for the brood boxes, but you can't beat these (except for price) for maintenance free beekeeping.

[blueskybeesupply]

You can't beat polystyrene here in Ohio. The milk crate looking "Plastic" may work well down south or out west, but will not be great (less desirable than wood) here in the north.

Our Bee World and Paradise hive equipment not only pays for itself in one season with bees not needing replaced, but increased honey production in summer. Call (877) 529-9233, and we can discuss with you further.

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[GregV]

Back to the priorities....
IF you want to winter tiny colonies for any reason (backup queens, etc) - the poly nucs make some sense.
For normal size colonies, I would not spend the money.

[edzkoda]

Mel and her husband own Blue Sky are extremely informative. I have been following her experiences with the hives for two years since she didn't want to sell them without trying them. Call her. Or if you are in N.E Ohio, stop in. She is extremely informative and helpful not only to her customers but to many of the clubs in our area.

[Hillbillybees]

If I was paying $18.50 for a deep box I would probably pay a few bucks more for poly. But $23.75 is almost what I pay for a wood box after I've filled it with frames.