Finman, Hive Heaters?

[Hombre]

Hi Finman,
I seem to recollect that you have several apiaries and I don't know how many hives.
It occurred to me to ask approximately how many hives and how many do you heat with 3 Watt heaters during the winter? What is your power source (4A at 12V nominal), thermostatic control, etc etc. or is all this a trade secret (easy answer)?
Are the heated hives in a bee house, or are all your hives in bee houses?
Sorry for the many questions, but I am very curious. I don't believe that you use one verrrrrry long power cable from your kitchen.

I see that maybe in the summer you haul bees and in the winter charged-up leasure-batteries and patties for your bees.

 

[Finman]

.
I am not sure but I have about 25 hives. I join some and diminish the number.

This winter I had no heaters. I had only one 5 frame nuc and others are big normal hives.

After 2 weeks I start patty feeding and start to heat hive bottoms with 15W cabels. They are 4 m long.

I take electrict from my cottage wall 220 V 10 A and wire lenght is about 25 metre.
Another source is my fire wood shelter.

Our willows start blooming about first of May. We have now snow cover everywhere.

I have not looked, in what condition my hives are. Winter has been good. No troubles I guess.

***********

I summer I put them in several apiaries 2-4 hives in one place.

.

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[Hombre]

Thank you for that Finman,

I had not thought of soil heating cable, but that makes good sense. I had forgotten about the weather at your location because the sun has been shining here and spring seems to have arrived.

March winds haven't arrived again this year - "March, in like a lion and out like a lamb" - I don't know if I should be grateful for that or not.

I now understand that you over winter your bees centrally, not far from your cottage electricity supply and deploy them to out-apiaries as the weather picks up and becomes warmer.

 

[Finman]

I now understand that you over winter your bees centrally, not far from your cottage electricity supply and :

I have nursed bees 46 years and I have kept heating only 5 years.

I winter hives centrally because it is easier to pick them home and watch over them in one place 9 months. But problems is that those all hies get not enough willow pollen in May.

Our hives need not electricity for wintering. We have good insulated hives.
Electrict is too expencive. I have just tried to over winter 2-frame nucs and it goes well with heating.

 

[hedgerow pete]

i found that very interesting , thanks finman