LYSON Dadant Blatt polystyrene hive, painted yellow

01 · THE UV LACQUER

Colour that survives a season outdoors

A print on a hive has one clear enemy: the sun. The coat of UV lacquer is what stops the colours shifting and fading over a couple of summers, and it also protects the artwork from the rubbing of handling, which on a box opened every week is not a small thing. If the hive is going to be seen by the public, it is the difference between a piece that looks cared for and one that looks faded.

02 · WHAT IT IS REALLY FOR

The hive that invites a second look

A decorated box changes the conversation at a school, an open day or a community garden: people come closer instead of stepping back. And because it is a complete production hive rather than a toy, the educational project costs you nothing in performance. The clear crown board with a thermometer helps: you can show the inside and read the temperature without lifting the lid and stirring the colony up in front of an audience.

03 · WHAT COMES WITH IT

Body, two half supers and a screened floor

The set arrives flat-packed and includes a tall vented roof, a Dadant Blatt body, two half supers, an OPTIMA screened floor and the crown board with its three ventilation plugs. The half supers are a real advantage when you are demonstrating: they weigh half as much and come off with one hand. What is not included are the frames, which are ordered separately.

04 · THE SIZE

Dadant Blatt frames of 47 cm only

The format is Dadant Blatt, the one used in France, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium: frames with a 47 cm top bar. Dadant US measures 48 cm and will not do, and it is the usual one in Spain, Germany or Poland. Check the size before ordering frames or foundation; it is the most expensive slip in this family.

05 · BEFORE YOU BUY

It is exactly the same hive as the orange version: the inside, the dimensions and the floor are identical and only the print changes.