Hive Monitoring - Surprising winter data

[Antipodes]

but all are variously crap (chimney

I once had a phone call from a guy needing help. He had honey bee nests in each of the four chimneys of his home.

 

[user 6228]

unfortunately a single internal probe tells you very little

 

[Beelosser]

I'd the sensor is not in the cluster, then all you are measuring is the poor quality insulation properties of your hive.

I don't know where you come up with the notion that fetral colonies live in suboptimal conditions. Studies have shown a swarm makes the right decisions on potential homes in excess of 95% of the time.

So I assume over 95% of the bees caught in swarm traps made from uninsulated wood are making the right decision???

 

[Swarm]

Yes, they look for a suitable cavity. It's easy enough to test a theory, set your bait hives out in pairs, wood and poly and see what happens.

 

[Sutty]

I can't imagine bees have any real test of insulation available to them; maybe some assessment of wall thickness, and whether it is hotter inside than out in sunshine indicating poor insulation, but nothing else.

 

[mbc]

I can't imagine bees have any real test of insulation available to them; maybe some assessment of wall thickness, and whether it is hotter inside than out in sunshine indicating poor insulation, but nothing else.

Nah, they quickly find the warmest* spot in their cavity to build their nest.
*Warmest = most insulated

 

[Sutty]

Nah, they quickly find the warmest* spot in their cavity to build their nest.
*Warmest = most insulated

Yes, but then they have a heat source (ie the mass of bees) so just find th warmest area - that doesn't apply to scouts with just a few bees present.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes, but then they have a heat source (ie the mass of bees) so just find th warmest area - that doesn't apply to scouts with just a few bees present.

Doesn't it? Don't scout bees search a cavity minutely and spend quite some time there doing so? Aren't bees quite sensitive to temperature?

 

[Sutty]

Doesn't it? Don't scout bees search a cavity minutely and spend quite some time there doing so? Aren't bees quite sensitive to temperature?

Absolutely to both!
However unless they have a significant heat source (eg a large mass of bees) how could they judge insulation? A really well insulated cavity will be the same temperature inside and out without a heat source.

 

[rdartington]

Absolutely to both!
However unless they have a significant heat source (eg a large mass of bees) how could they judge insulation? A really well insulated cavity will be the same temperature inside and out without a heat source.

If a cavity is in sunlight, will not a well insulated cavity stay cool inside while a thin walled box will heat up inside? If yes, scouts could distinguish.

 

[Swarm]

That's why you find so many swarms take up residence in compost bins?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

yep, nothing like a thin walled black plastic vessel for keeping cool during the summer

 

[Beelosser]

yep, nothing like a thin walled black plastic vessel for keeping cool during the summer

 

[Beelosser]

I saw this yesterday in the grounds of the University of Galway. That’s the way to build a swarm trap. No way to get any honey though