hive insulation and ventilation

[Nuc]

Hi folks, just bought some 25mm thick rigid foam insulation for my national hive lids. Do you just cut it to fit snug in the lid or do i need to make holes in it or allow for the lid side vents in any way ?
I believe the cb needs to be solid so no ventilation through that.
I do have omf's.
Does anyone wrap hives with tar paper or similar as i have read some do in america ?
Thanks in advance, Nuc.

 

[drstitson]

46x46 square (x2?) on top of crownboard. Roof on top. Roof space remains ventilated.

 

[oliver90owner]

I simply lay it on my crownboards. My crownboards are simply a sheet of 9mm ply. No holes or anything fancy. Can't get much simpler than that.

RAB

 

[MuswellMetro]

46x46 square (x2?) on top of crownboard. Roof on top. Roof space remains ventilated.

same as i do....but ensure your roof is the type that has bearing inside that leaves a (say) 18mm space above the insulation which is like a thick crown board

i just lay a crown board on the insulation and cut it to the same 460mmx460mm size, i then cut a chinese take away size hole in the centre

most of the time the plug cut out is in place but to feed fondant i fill a chinese take away tub, remover the plug and place the tub over the feed hole ( then loose the cut out plug )

i

 

[Nuc]

Thanks guys. Think i've got it now. The roof inner side bars bear on the insulation rather than the insulation being up inside the very top of the roof, leaving the air gap on top. Many thanks.
Oh, and should voids in the brood box if not full of frames(mine have 8 and 9 frames)also be filled with similar insulation or can a frame feeder be added if stores are not quite full ? I ask this because my 8 frame hive while having been well fed still feels a bit light compared to the other hive. Cheers.

 

[huntsman666]

If your hive needed top insulation it would have come supplied with it.

 

[Finman]

I simply lay it on my crownboards. My crownboards are simply a sheet of 9mm ply. No holes or anything fancy. Can't get much simpler than that.

RAB

6 mm ply?
30% simplier than 9 mm.


I must say that 9 mm ply as inner cover is *.* solution. not at least a good advice to tell others...and others are fancy?

We use here "bitulite" named wood fibre board as cover. It is ligh, does not twist for moisture.
It has a good insulation value. light = includers much air = good insulation.

 

[drstitson]

"If your hive needed top insulation it would have come supplied with it"

you mean like all the complete hives supplied with solid floors?

 

[Nic Rhodes]

I think there is a difference from 'need' and 'benefit from'. I suspect most hives cope okay without any, however I suspect most hives will also benefit from having some, some quite allot certainly in more extreme situations like mine.

 

[oliver90owner]

If your hive needed top insulation it would have come supplied with it.

Another gem from somewhere?

Look back at the films/pics from yester-year. They called them 'quilts' in those days - you know, the things you put on your bed to keep you warm. Those old beeks were a lot more clever than some, who seem to ignore their methods. It's a wonder some actually put a roof on.

RAB

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

If your hive needed top insulation it would have come supplied with it.

Bizzare!

 

[nealeholl]

I've only had bees a couple of years, and in one of the two winters I managed to lose my only colony

In the light of the cold winters we've had, I was contemplating putting the wooden crown board on top of the brood chamber, with a plastic tub of fondant over the hole, then an empty super with some mineral wood loft insulation...then the roof.

Is that ok, or a stoopid idea?

 

[Bee-Key-Pur]

I've only had bees a couple of years, and in one of the two winters I managed to lose my only colony

In the light of the cold winters we've had, I was contemplating putting the wooden crown board on top of the brood chamber, with a plastic tub of fondant over the hole, then an empty super with some mineral wood loft insulation...then the roof.

Is that ok, or a stoopid idea?

Yep, that'll work....

 

[Swarm]

If your hive needed top insulation it would have come supplied with it.

Another gem from somewhere?

Look back at the films/pics from yester-year. They called them 'quilts' in those days - you know, the things you put on your bed to keep you warm. Those old beeks were a lot more clever than some, who seem to ignore their methods. It's a wonder some actually put a roof on.

RAB

Another gem? So are you saying top insulation is a requirement? Those pics/films from yester-year would no boubt also feature solid floors. So were those old beeks smart or misguided or both?
I don't top insulate, never have. If I were looking at Canadian/Norwegian/Antarctic winters, I'd add insulation. Here in UK we had two cold winters in succession, even these were laughed at by a Russian aquaintance (and apparently my bees as well) he said you talk about winter when you record snowfall in metres and how many years before that was our last really cold winter?
If some beeks feel the need to top insulate that's fine, meanwhile stop making out that those of us who choose not to are thick.

 

[drstitson]

have to watch out with the fibrous insulation - if bees can access it you're likely to get tiny fragments of glass/mineral into the hive.

 

[huntsman666]

"If your hive needed top insulation it would have come supplied with it"

you mean like all the complete hives supplied with solid floors?

No, I'm talking about insulation.

Solid floor with top ventilation or open mesh floor is a choice, at least from my supplier.

 

[huntsman666]

If your hive needed top insulation it would have come supplied with it.

Another gem from somewhere?

Look back at the films/pics from yester-year. They called them 'quilts' in those days - you know, the things you put on your bed to keep you warm. Those old beeks were a lot more clever than some, who seem to ignore their methods. It's a wonder some actually put a roof on.

RAB

I see you're off again with your insults.

Would you like it if we let you have this forum to yourself?

No problem with me.

 

[oliver90owner]

meanwhile stop making out that those of us who choose not to are thick.

Read carefully: a lot more clever....some...to ignore

All carefully chosen to allow those that do have an inferiority complex to shine through. 'Some' does not include 'all'.

 

[huntsman666]

RAB, kindly take a couple of chill pills for your very high level of antagonism.

Other than that, I can only suggest someone requeens you.

 

[Swarm]

OK let's have a look ...

"They called them quilts in those days - you know, the things you put on your bed to keep warm."

Forgetting the sarcasm, some still call the CB a quilt and it is not insulated.

"A lot more clever than some who choose to ignore their methods"

If I'm to believe your later statement ....

"All carefully chosen" ... "some does not include all"

...then it really does not say a lot. In other words just a spam post. We both know it was just another pop at Huntsman666. The sad thing is, you are allowed to get away with it over and over and over ad nauseum.

I've said it before, anonymity is such a wonderful thing.