hive insulation

[betterbee]

what is the insulation value of wrapping a hive during winter in the bubblewrap used for glasshouse insulation ,any insulation value as id like to insulate some hives but still keep the original roofs

 

[Erichalfbee]

Not much I would have thought.
I have poly hives, wooden hives and insulated wooden hives.
The insulated hives always have more food in the spring

 

[victor meldrew]

Not much I would have thought.

I have poly hives, wooden hives and insulated wooden hives.

The insulated hives always have more food in the spring

My mongrels Winter on minimum stores .
Surprisingly little actually !
All my hives are single wall cedar wood , 14x 12s
I do insert the inspection Trays under the omfs .
I do use over the crown board insulation however!


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[victor meldrew]

My mongrels Winter on minimum stores .
Surprisingly little actually !
All my hives are single wall cedar wood , 14x 12s
I do insert the inspection Trays under the omfs .
I do use over the crown board insulation however!


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14x12s typo [emoji15]


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[linoleum bonypart]

Dreaded condensation with plastic wrap

 

[Erichalfbee]

Do it properly or not at all.
At least put 50mm of foil backed insulation on the crown board

 

[ShinySideUp]

I close the holes in the crown board (although I've started closing them year-round now) and insulate the roof. The bees are clustered in the centre of the hive in winter so there is a fair bit of air insulation between them and the walls of the hive plus the heat they give off will cause currents in the hive that will deal with condensation, some of which will get out via the floor and some will leech into the wood and be dissipated outside on warmer days. Insulating around the outside of the wood would, IMHO, be a major contributor to condensation much as a closed greenhouse in the winter.

 

[For want of a better word]

Even my beloved WBC hives have a slab of Cellotex atop the crownboard... leave it on all year round, and keep the feed hole covered( if there is one).. tend to use Millar feeders if they need a boost of stores for the winter months!

Yeghes da

 

[Wingy]

I got a very weak Nuc through winter last year 5 frame Langstroth made of 18mm ply with a 50mm kingspan jacket & 50mm kingspan under the roof.
I will be doing the same this winter with all 3 hives.
I do slide the inspection tray in leaving about 25mm gap at the front to aid ventilation and hopefully reduce condensation

 

[madasafish]

I close the holes in the crown board (although I've started closing them year-round now) and insulate the roof. The bees are clustered in the centre of the hive in winter so there is a fair bit of air insulation between them and the walls of the hive plus the heat they give off will cause currents in the hive that will deal with condensation, some of which will get out via the floor and some will leech into the wood and be dissipated outside on warmer days. Insulating around the outside of the wood would, IMHO, be a major contributor to condensation much as a closed greenhouse in the winter.

not in my experience with 7 hives with poly covers. Not even in the "TBFTE"

 

[Erichalfbee]

Insulating around the outside of the wood would, IMHO, be a major contributor to condensation much as a closed greenhouse in the winter.

No not at all.
Provided that the top is better insulated than the sides any condensation runs down the walls and out through the OMF
In my insulated hives I have a polycarbonate crownboards and sometimes there is a little condensation in the corners, that’s all.
I’m sure that’s why poly hives have thinner areas on the sides

 

[user 6228]

The thermal perfprmance of a single layer of bubblewrap is quite poor because its so thin. The poor performance will lead to condensation. Use thicker insulation like a drop over cosy made out of 50mm PIR. Bee are used to that level indulstion in tree hollows

 

[ShinySideUp]

Or, Mr OP,...you could make your own decision as there are so many opinions here you may consider that yours is as good as anyones.

 

[For want of a better word]

Or, Mr OP,...you could make your own decision as there are so many opinions here you may consider that yours is as good as anyones.

Good you is learning.... everyone has an opinion and every one of them is correct... unless it disagrees with my opinion which is the correct and only opinion!!

Nos da

 

[madasafish]

Or, Mr OP,...you could make your own decision as there are so many opinions here you may consider that yours is as good as anyones.

Not opinions: there is one scientiic paper which proves the benefits of insulation - and the author is quoted as an authority on the subject

 

[Finman]

No not at all.
Provided that the top is better insulated than the sides any condensation runs down the walls and out through the OMF

Shiny says that bubble wrapping keeps the hives wet. Water runs along outside wall surface. He is right.

 

[Swarm]

The thermal perfprmance of a single layer of bubblewrap is quite poor because its so thin. The poor performance will lead to condensation. Use thicker insulation like a drop over cosy made out of 50mm PIR. Bee are used to that level indulstion in tree hollows

Insulation is beneficial. What level of insulation is another thing and claiming the above is not right, it would depend on the tree and the hollow for a start. Not all trees are the same.

 

[Murox]

Insulation is beneficial. What level of insulation is another thing and claiming the above is not right, it would depend on the tree and the hollow for a start. Not all trees are the same.

Its down to the level of insulation + ventilation + warmth. Bees benefit from a stable environment. Now who was it that developed a "stable hive" ??

 

[Erichalfbee]

Shiny says that bubble wrapping keeps the hives wet. Water runs along outside wall surface. He is right.

Inside.....I meant

 

[oliver90owner]

Think about it simply.

The only warmth bees get while clustered, above ambient, is supplied by them for them from stores. The more of that heat that can be retained, up to a certain point of course, within the hive the less stores need to be consumed. More top insulation than sides - always - and even a reduction of wind contact can reduce that requirement. Anything on the outside of a timber hive hive either needs to be a complete contact fit or sufficiently loose to provide avoidance of condensation between them. Bubble wrap relies on reducing air convection to within the cells, so needs multiple layers to provide a reasonable insulation value. And water should not be able to run down inside the isulation.

Polystyrene sheet is a better bet. Smaller air spaces, multiple layers of air spaces, reasonably rigid. Polyurethane is better still.

Even thickish plastic sheets are likely better than a single layer of bubblewrap, as it can afford woodpecker protection as well, if placed such that the ‘peckers cannot get a grip.