infrared photos through mesh floor?

[user 6228]

Does anyone have infrared photos of their hives from underneath through mesh floor that I can use in my research / lectures?

 

[Sutty]

If you can loan I camera I can try!
Seems like a long shot (forgive the pun!)

 

[Erichalfbee]

Does anyone have infrared photos of their hives from underneath through mesh floor that I can use in my research / lectures?

View attachment 73BF9A79-0556-4FCD-B455-56D06D59B752.mp4

 

[user 6228]

View attachment 37983 thanks

 

[user 6228]

guess how much heat is lost out the mesh floor by radiation?

 

[Sutty]

guess how much heat is lost out the mesh floor by radiation?

Surely that would depend on how much is reflected back? ie what is beneath the OMF.

 

[user 6228]

Surely that would depend on how much is reflected back? ie what is beneath the OMF.

not much is going to be reflect at ir wavelengths unless you have something like a sheet of ally under it. So you can mostly ignore that.

 

[Sutty]

If there is radiated IR it will warm the underlying surface (even if from -10 to -9 for example). This will effect how much IR the surface itself radiates, so the area beneath the OMF will have an effect.
In answer to the question re heat loss: assuming a void under the OMF, I'd guess 10%

 

[Erichalfbee]

guess how much heat is lost out the mesh floor by radiation?

Lots?
You only have to put your hand under there. That’s why most of mine are now on solid floors.

 

[user 6228]

I ve measured 25% of the total heat output of the bees is radiated through floor .

 

[Sutty]

I ve measured 25% of the total heat output of the bees is radiated through floor .

How does that vary between wood and poly hives?

 

[charlievictorbravo]

I ve measured 25% of the total heat output of the bees is radiated through floor .

I must admit to pretty much ignoring radiation as a significant form of heat loss on account of the relatively low temperatures. I leave monitoring boards in place over winter to a) monitor what's happening inside the hive, and, b) to try to prevent wind eddies under the hive sucking out warm air.

25% of total heat output due to radiation is a really significant heat loss. Would a wooden monitoring board reduce this amount to any great extent?

CVB

 

[Sutty]

I've been wondering about a layer of aluminised polystyrene stuck to the "inspection" board - the stuff you stick to the wall behind a radiator. (I have it spare).

 

[user 6228]

How does that vary between wood and poly hives?

it's not going to vary unless the area of the mesh is different or the porosity of the mesh is different or bees are at different temp

 

[Sutty]

it's not going to vary unless the area of the mesh is different or the porosity of the mesh is different or bees are at different temp

I was thinking the temperature of the brood box overall might be higher (especially if clustered) with the poly, so higher % loss via the OMF, though maybe less overall heat loss.

 

[user 6228]

I must admit to pretty much ignoring radiation as a significant form of heat loss on account of the relatively low temperatures. I leave monitoring boards in place over winter to a) monitor what's happening inside the hive, and, b) to try to prevent wind eddies under the hive sucking out warm air.

25% of total heat output due to radiation is a really significant heat loss. Would a wooden monitoring board reduce this amount to any great extent?

CVB

The radiated energy will be absorbed by the wood. to return it to the bees you have to stop boards losses so that it will convect and radiate back. That means the board needs to be insulated as you can't just reflect it back cos the detritus will prevent that

 

[user 6228]

I was thinking the temperature of the brood box overall might be higher (especially if clustered) with the poly, so higher % loss via the OMF, though maybe less overall heat loss.

but then polys often have a smaller mesh aperture ... The complexity of thermal radiation make me pull at my hair at times.

 

[roche]

Does it also depend on the location of the cluster within the hive?

 

[Moobee]

Lots?
You only have to put your hand under there. That’s why most of mine are now on solid floors.

Hi Dani, I’ve been pondering changing my hives to solid floors and wondered how you check for varroa without an inspection board and do you need to clean the floor often or are the bees pretty good at that? A lot of evidence points to Asian Hornets being able to detect beehives from the scent of honey, wax or propolis so it seems prudent to move hives away from OMFs to eliminate the detritus attracting them.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hi Dani, I’ve been pondering changing my hives to solid floors and wondered how you check for varroa without an inspection board and do you need to clean the floor often or are the bees pretty good at that? A lot of evidence points to Asian Hornets being able to detect beehives from the scent of honey, wax or propolis so it seems prudent to move hives away from OMFs to eliminate the detritus attracting them.

I keep two hives with mesh floors to act as varroa sentinels. It’s not ideal as there can be quite a variation in infestation within the apiary.
The answer to monitoring is undoubtedly a sugar roll or alcohol wash.
But then a question is… do you sample every hive?