[Laurieston]

In Germany poly hives are the norm, I find them easy and convenient, I've not had one blow over, and because they're a bit lighter they are easier to manipulate.  Here is a link to some ideas. https://www.google.de/search?q=segeberger+beute&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=pOOpU57rKqS9ygPg-YG4DA&ved=0CDcQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=664

I don't know about prices in the UK, but a complete 3 layered hive with frames, floor and roof costs about 100€.  The whole setup is a bit different here, but it gives an idea.

[benkt]

We've inherited a massive poly double-brood hive + three supers. Only had it a month or so now so I've only got superficial impressions which are that they are easier to move, harder to tidy up and mine have been slightly attacked by mice at somepoint (before I got it). I'll update you in another three to five years once I've got a bit of a handle on them.

[cloddopper]

I have no experience of using them (I like traditional wooden hives), but to me they scream out condensation problems. And I doubt whether they would last as long as a wooden hive.

Not for me.

 

 I had a dirty brown coloured one it back in 1991 as a trial thing , fitted it on a standard hive floor board set up ,  it cost me an arm and a leg and was always wetter than the wooden hives  ( I'm in  the UK) .

I doubt it would have lasted much longer than the four years I had it, unlike my western red cedar self made hives that will still be going strong in 30years time if they are looked after  .

 On reading all the posts it looks like the open mesh floor seems to have cured the wet problem .
 What sort of price are the poly hives nowadays,  mine cost me well over £300 in 1991 ( £900 ish @ todays rates) ?

[bridget]

Been on poly hives for three years.  Def a good idea and so much lighter.  No probs with condensation in fact less than my wooden hive which is now just used as a bait hive.  Only negative from my point of view is that mine don't have a runner and bee space below it in the brood frame but I gather that the more recent ones now have that so make sure you look for that or it's too easy to squash bees.  Concur with poster that said bees are more spread over the hive in winter.  Even here in invernesshire there is much less of a cluster as it's warmer inside.  My are lasting fine, apart from a wee mouse nibble on one but don't put your smoker on the roof of the next door hive as I did . Certainly cheaper than wooden and much easier to put together - they just slot together.

[sss]

 What sort of price are the poly hives nowadays,  mine cost me well over £300 in 1991 ( £900 ish @ todays rates) ?

One Langstroth with two supers is about £117 but obviously varies from manufacturer and quantity.

[cloddopper]

I had a quick look at them online today.. Wow have they changed or what ?

Hmmm can I every get back into bee keeeping down in my smaller garden area with the witch that lives next door going around screeching, " I'll report you for this and report you for that
I doubt it .

[brickyard]

I'm using 2 national polys from Modern beekeeping. Started with 1 with a nuc in it last August and it overwintered very strongly, split them again this year into a second.
 A couple of questions to anyone using the same hives, MB do not sell a clearing board in the range for this hive, what do you use? I've cut down a wooden national one to fit the poly hive. and modded a wooden crown board from a WBC so I can use a standard round contact feeder using an extra super layer to house it. What do others use?

[sss]

Brickyard, I stopped using clearing boards a while back. I now use a brush to get them off a frame and then put the beeless frame in a spare super for transport.  Clearing boards were OK, but I found it a pain to get down at the right time to put the board on, it did not always clear all the bee's so ended up brushing and the escapes sometimes stopped working.

I did once try shaking the frames to get the bee's off, but you end up with grumpy flying bee's.

[cloddopper]

SSS ,
Be careful with the brush it will transfer disease spores /bacteria from hive to hive.
 better to use a hand full of long grass or a single big chicken's or  duck ,goose, swan etc wing feather once only then bin it .