Hot water bottle under OMF

[lebouche]

Hi,
Upon the advice of defera I am thinking of popping my head in to check if they are ok and adding pollen (their whole roof is now made of fondent and it was soft last time I looked due to condensation keeping it wet on the bees side.
Last time I checked I put a hot water bottle (full of hot but not boiling water) underneath the OMF floor...despite being quick. I figured it would replace some of the lost heat. I pulled it out when I saw a bee fly out the front with what looked like joy followed by confusion and disappointment.
So the question is, does anyone think doing this this is a good idea?

 

[Lorenz]

I don't think it is a good idea. It will not stay warm for long and why confuse them and make them think it is warm only for them to come out and freeze.

Now if you find a way of attaching a terrarium heater to a 12v battery and having that on day and night, that might be a good idea, but in the climate of Berkshire and London, probably unnecessary.

 

[Finman]

.
It is better that you close that OMF that heat satys inside.

I use just now electring heating on bottom, but does anyone heat his house and keep door all the time open?

.

 

[lebouche]

Thanks for the replies.
Just to clarify,
I'm just talking about during emergency times like these when you have to open up the hive briefly in cold weather.

 

[Finman]

Thanks for the replies.
Just to clarify,
I'm just talking about during emergency times like these when you have to open up the hive briefly in cold weather.

That is not bad idea, but if you close the mesh floor, it helps better.

 

[lebouche]

That is not bad idea, but if you close the mesh floor, it helps better.

Thanks Finman,
Do you mean close it when I open up or permanently?
It's a poly nuc so not sure what is best.
Also they have plenty of fondent...is it imperitive that they get pollen substitute or will they survive this cold spell without.

Thanks

 

[Finman]

Thanks Finman,
Do you mean close it when I open up or permanently?
It's a poly nuc so not sure what is best.
Also they have plenty of fondent...is it imperitive that they get pollen substitute or will they survive this cold spell without.

Thanks

I have used poly hives 25 years. In spring I use 5 cm x 1 cm entrance when the box is full of bees.

When bees start to forage, then I see from number of ventilating bees, do they need bigger entrance.

Hive gets better build up when it is warm. I realized that when I started to heat hive bottoms 10 years ago with electrict.

To use mesh floor in nucs is a bad idea.

.
.

 

[lebouche]

I have used poly hives 25 years. In spring I use 5 cm x 1 cm entrance when the box is full of bees.

When bees start to forage, then I see from number of ventilating bees, do they need bigger entrance.

Hive gets better build up when it is warm. I realized that when I started to heat hive bottoms 10 years ago with electrict.

To use mesh floor in nucs is a bad idea.

.
.

Thanks.
You have to wonder if its a bad idea why the sell them so that beginners ,ike me make the mistake of buying them! There must be some purpose for them.

 

[itma]

...
Also they have plenty of fondent...is it imperitive that they get pollen substitute or will they survive this cold spell without.

They need fuel (sugar, fondant, honey ...) to survive the cold.

Pollen is their source of protein, which is needed to make new bees.
When it warms up, the colony will try to expand dramatically - which is when they need protein as well as fuel.



And an open mesh floor is perfectly OK for the UK winter, which even this time round, Finman would regard as Spring-like!
The Pains poly has fairly good insulation, a small entrance, a mesh floor and no top venting. Pretty good for bees overwintering.
If only it had a thicker (better insulated) roof, and a better feeder arrangement ...

 

[Finman]

Thanks.
You have to wonder if its a bad idea why the sell them so that beginners ,ike me make the mistake of buying them! There must be some purpose for them.

Mesh floor allow to count mites. That is why it become popular 25 years ago.

But even experienced beekeepers think that bees can stand what ever.
They have in brood area 36C temp and it does not help if big door is missing.

 

[Easy Beesy]

NO to the hot water bottle idea. IMHO.

 

[Erichalfbee]

The Pains poly
If only it had a thicker (better insulated) roof, and a better feeder arrangement ...

Feeder is pants
I use one of their ekes to feed/fill with kingspan for the winter

 

[Swarm]

Haven't they solved the issues on their mark 2 design?

 

[oliver90owner]

The single biggest problem with weather, like we are experiencing at this time of the year, is as I see it: if they have started brooding in a big way (and are unable to get out for forage/water as at present) is that the brood may need to be sacrificed for the colony to survive.

Not a good omen as the current bees will now be back to summer development mode and the old bees may well die off before the next brood can be sorted to the emergence stage.

Sooo, thin syrup and possibly pollen patties may be needed to enable them to continue brooding the current batch. Fondant is OK for survival of adult bees, but not much else.

Argue your case if against that. I look forward to any reasonably supported replies.

 

[itma]

Haven't they solved the issues on their mark 2 design?

Pains mark 2 miller-style national feeder may address the issues identified with the mark 1 national feeder. But that ain't the nuc.
// I have not yet seen the Mark 2 miller-style feeder.

The mark 2 national polynuc, (with the disc entrance), has the same integral feeder and thin(ish) roof as the mark 1 polynuc. But a piece of plastic to block the entrance to the feeder (and a qx piece the same size) are included.
But to block the feeder off properly, I stuff some foam in the top as well.

The current polynuc's disc entrance addresses the issue of bees missing the undershot entrance and ending up under the omf. I used a strip of foam to easily fix that one too!
// I have both the Mark 1 & 2 polynuc.

 

[busybee53]

.
It is better that you close that OMF that heat satys inside.

I use just now electring heating on bottom, but does anyone heat his house and keep door all the time open?

.

Glad you managed to heat your bottom. I know it's cold there. Sorry Finman but I couldn't resist ....

 

[Swarm]

Pains mark 2 miller-style national feeder may address the issues identified with the mark 1 national feeder. But that ain't the nuc.
// I have not yet seen the Mark 2 miller-style feeder.

The mark 2 national polynuc, (with the disc entrance), has the same integral feeder and thin(ish) roof as the mark 1 polynuc. But a piece of plastic to block the entrance to the feeder (and a qx piece the same size) are included.
But to block the feeder off properly, I stuff some foam in the top as well.

The current polynuc's disc entrance addresses the issue of bees missing the undershot entrance and ending up under the omf. I used a strip of foam to easily fix that one too!
// I have both the Mark 1 & 2 polynuc.

Yes I have both. I thought the issue with #1 was the feeder entrance (easy enough to block) which has been addressed by the inclusion of the parts you mention? When not in use, like you, I filled the cavity. I can't say I've noticed a problem with the old entrance, other than one time where I collected a swarm, but that time the swarm proved too big for the nuc anyway.