I think he rain around Teesside must be very different to the rain in the rest of the UK
Funny how things differ....when I was running 50:50 wood vs Poly the poly were always miles ahead in the spring with brood rearing (better heat retention) and honey crops were almost double....It was why I scrapped all my wooden hives. as they are so inefficient from the bees point of view.
Also you must use open mesh floors with poly as the heat retention is so good. That is the reason you had bees bearding as you had solid floors. You need to work with bees needs not your preconceptions of what you think they need.....with poly hives the only time you can use solid floors is winter otherwise forbidden!
Funny how things differ....when I was running 50:50 wood vs Poly the poly were always miles ahead in the spring with brood rearing (better heat retention) and honey crops were almost double....It was why I scrapped all my wooden hives. as they are so inefficient from the bees point of view.
Also you must use open mesh floors with poly as the heat retention is so good. That is the reason you had bees bearding as you had solid floors. You need to work with bees needs not your preconceptions of what you think they need.....with poly hives the only time you can use solid floors is winter otherwise forbidden!