🐝 Revolutionizing Beekeeping: BeeMotion's Winter Hive Solution 🌡️

[jarmo henttu]

2.5" thick rigid styrofoam insulation. I make panels and screw them to the outside of my hives. The hives are homebuilt, not meant to move and are made of 2.5" thick lumber. I put a 10" deep box on the top and fill it with styrofoam insulation and then a down pillow, so I have 10" of upper insulation.

The bees do great even in -40C, they come thru the winter with strong clusters.

I would be hesitant to use a heater in my hives, IMO when the outside temps. are very cold and the bees are unable to go out for cleansing flights for months at a time, a too warm interior allows them to consume more stores. This increases their need to defecate which they will not be able to do in our cold climate. A tight cluster is desirable in winter IMHO.

Your calculations out there makes no sense.
Polystyre hives have 4 cm thick wall.

20 years ago the poly wall was 2 cm in Nacca hive Sweden.

I think that you have never seen -40C in Britain. Such temps are very rare in Finland.

 

[jarmo henttu]

I put a 60w pad in the bottom of a hive the 2nd year I got bees, it didn't seem to make any difference and it was a pain to power!

I have heated my hive 20 years. 6 W is suitable. 15 W heating cable 4 m long is very good in two store hive. I have used them during spring build up in April and in May.

If you want good yields, carry the hive to good pastures. But I have learned, English beekeepers do not mind about honey yields.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Your calculations out there makes no sense.
Polystyre hives have 4 cm thick wall.

20 years ago the poly wall was 2 cm in Nacca hive Sweden.

I think that you have never seen -40C in Britain. Such temps are very rare in Finland.

Could you put insert your location in your profile please?
Did you notice that @B_north is in central Canada?

 

[B_north]

Your calculations out there makes no sense.
Polystyre hives have 4 cm thick wal

I made no calculations, I build my own hives and that is the thickness of both the wood and the insulation on the exterior of the hive. I don't use pre made polystyrene hives. I think something got lost in translation

Also, I live in Canada and we have one recorded low temp. of -50C where I live. Trust me, nothing, I repeat nothing moves at -50C, the silence is deafening.

 

[jarmo henttu]

I made no calculations, I build my own hives and that is the thickness of both the wood and the insulation on the exterior of the hive. I don't use pre made polystyrene hives. I think something got lost in translation

Also, I live in Canada and we have one recorded low temp. of -50C where I live. Trust me, nothing, I repeat nothing moves at -50C, the silence is deafening.

The whole Europe uses polystyre hives.

 

[B_north]

The whole Europe uses polystyre hives.

Many beekeepers do here as well but I cannot say if they add extra insulation for the winter.

 

[Poly Hive]

I think I can safely say they do. Also you are in a very dry Winter environment which frankly makes a massive difference. It's not cold that kills bees its wetness.

PH

 

[Garry R]

I think I can safely say they do. Also you are in a very dry Winter environment which frankly makes a massive difference. It's not cold that kills bees its wetness.

PH

If the colony is strong enough and has adequate stores to form a cluster which is adjacent to their stores than I don't believe that cold is not a killer. But damp is another matter. And as Bernard Mobus was my mentor in 1977/78 in Aberdeen he switched me onto poly hives (some of the first) and their insulating advantages which 34 years later I brought to Somerset (the boxes, not the bees) and still have the originals plus new ones I have added. I am convinced that if damp does not kill a colony then it certainly will check early season expansion . Just my tuppence worth.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

If the colony is strong enough and has adequate stores to form a cluster which is adjacent to their stores than I don't believe that cold is not a killer.

I think I get you now. You believe cold is not a killer - but dampness is a bigger concern.
Right?

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

I think I remember someone else here (with strong opinions on insulation) saying that it was the cold accompanying the damp which was doing the damage. He thought our number one concern should always be to insulate to protect against the cold.

 

[jarmo henttu]

Many beekeepers do here as well but I cannot say if they add extra insulation for the winter.

I know it can