<...but a hobbiest or new beekeeper really
>should do some research before buying an anciently designed hive.I only have
>eight hives(seven Langstroth),but I wish I never started with
>Langstroths,all future hives will be D.E.Hives,a modern hive.
>
>Garry Libby
>Boston,MA   USA
>[log in to unmask]
 
Well I'm glad you like them, Garry.   I have heard from others who think
they really are tops.  Another has had trouble with the nest organization
being lopsided due to the combs paralleling the entrance.   One of the nice
things about being a hobbiest is that we can try all sorts of different
configurations and see what happens.  Every yard, every year, every colony
is a bit different.  Direct comparisons can be difficult or misleading over
the short term.
 
As David has stated, though, at least now there is a choice of hives again
in this area.  (It's been a few decades since the Dadant hive was available
in the US.  Last I knew, only one - Canadian - co. still offered the Jumbo
hives (sort of a 10-frame extra deep Langstroth).   Then, too, there were
aluminum hives, plastic hives, hives you could turn upside-down...
 
Anyway, please don't lend so much weight to my own opinion on such a
subjective topic.
 
Anyone interested in a thorough review of several different hive designs
(incl. heaps of pros and cons) should check out A CASE OF HIVES, by Dr. Len
Heath, Rothamsted Exp. Stn..   Northern Bee Books might carry it.  Very
interesting.
 
Time to go scrape the propolis off my fingers.