Hive Monitoring - Surprising winter data

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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???
 
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.
 
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.
 
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
 
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.
 
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?
 
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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.
 
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.
 
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
 

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