Insulation in hives

[Swarm]

All this condensation crap is just that.
I have wooden hives with thick cosies and solid floors, and OMF ones. And a Poly hive with OMF,

No condensation problems despite living at 170 meters at the edge of the |Peak District and in a local frost pocket.##

I ignore what anyone says living in Southern England near sealevel or near the sea as their conditions are near tropical in winter compared to ours.

And posters who ignore the fact that local conditions make huge differences should know better.

None of the above is rocket science but some of the above posters should know better than spout crap.

I despair!

## major condensation with no cosies.

Wrong quote, Madasafish? The post you quoted was only discussing something to suit the beekeeper?

 

[Fusion_power]

All this condensation crap is just that.
I have wooden hives with thick cosies and solid floors, and OMF ones. And a Poly hive with OMF, No condensation problems despite living at 170 meters at the edge of the |Peak District and in a local frost pocket.##

different climate, different results. I've seen so much condensation in a hive in March that icicles form inside the hive. This is usually when a severe cold snap coincides with the early spring heavy brood buildup.

 

[Finman]

different climate, different results. I've seen so much condensation in a hive in March that icicles form inside the hive. This is usually when a severe cold snap coincides with the early spring heavy brood buildup.

You do not have insulated hives. That is the reason of heavy condensation. And propably too small colony compare to the space, what you keep for bees.

Mere temperature difference between outdoors and 36C brood temp does not make that condensation. Thin inner cover? Simple 4 mm plywood and nothing else?

However, the biggest reason is, that of somebody advices you, you do not mind.

.

 

[Finman]

.
Condensation is not bad in all cases.
IT is normal in my hives that floor has 10 cm ice cover on floor and thick carrots are hanging in low sticks of frames.

On balance hives it can be seen so, that when temps are -20C two weeks, balance hive does not loose its weight, but when it comes zero temp, ice melts and the weight can drop quite much.

In -8C out temp the temp inside the polyhive goes under zero, and snow like condensation appears in interior corners. IT melts then and dribble onto the floor.

When solid floor is in slanting position, water comes out from hive.

Should I do something... No. It is not needed. In spring I change the bottom and I get rotten bees off from hive. If I am slow, bees clean the floor before May.

Last Winter lowest temp was -36C in my village and no snow. Nothing happened. Hives were half full food after winter. Cold weather lasted one month.

When very cold weather lasts 3 months, cluster cannot re-organize and bee gangs in the seems starts to die, when food is finish in the seam.

 

[Finman]

.
The balance hive is not an easy job to understand. Better measuring arrangement should be done and much hives. But balances are expencive..

http://koti.tnnet.fi/web144/vaakapesa/selaa2.php?vuosi=2014&kunta=75 .. weight curve and data

BEE : Italian local

December: It seams that the colony does not consume the food. Reason must be that rainwater absorbs into wooden parts of the hive and it adds weight.

Then in the last week of December happens fast drop. Clarification on side: "out temps +5 and no snow". It seems that wooden parts have dried up.
.

Period 16.1. - 27.1

Out temp is low. Temps from -14 to -18 to -13C. That is very normal out temp in southern Finland in January.

Weight change in two weeks is one kilo. Quite normal.

That much minus temp has not accumulated ice into THIS hive.




.

 

[Hivemaker.]

.
thick carrots are hanging in low sticks of frames.

That may also help with controlling varroa, as carrots have a lot of oxalic.

.
IT is normal in my hives that floor has 10 cm ice cover on floor

Using a terrapin heater would prevent this from happening.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

That may also help with controlling varroa, as carrots have a lot of oxalic.



Using a terrapin heater would prevent this from happening.

How many terrapins would you have to burn to raise the temperature by one degree?


and is a terrapin a recognised SI unit the same as a calorie?

 

[madasafish]

Wrong quote, Madasafish? The post you quoted was only discussing something to suit the beekeeper?

Ooops..
Senile dementia..

 

[Finman]

.
Condensation is not bad in all cases.
IT is normal in my hives that floor has 10 cm ice cover on floor and thick carrots are hanging in l.

Truth is that it is 1 cm

 

[Finman]

How many terrapins would you have to burn to raise the temperature by one degree?


and is a terrapin a recognised SI unit the same as a calorie?

What a joke.... Oh dear, dear. Terrabin heater is the best, absolutely

Carrots are for rabbits. A rabbit puts its head into the hive and bees kill the rabbit.
Amen.

What a day!
.

 

[Finman]

That may also help with controlling varroa, as carrots have a lot of oxalic.



Using a terrapin heater would prevent this from happening.

Oh dear, oh dear

But I enjoy about Genuine British Insulation Theories. Great thanks!

Best insulation is "natural bee colony in natural tree hole".
.

 

[Finman]

.
And included... I have no problems with insulations of condensations. Is'nt that funny. I am not praying any advices here. And you enjoy with me too. I do not have a single Kingspan in my hives.

 

[Fusion_power]

Interesting post about the "carrots" of ice and 1 cm of ice on the floor. I make bottom boards that are tilted so water runs out the front. I've never seen 1 cm of ice on the floor of a hive.

 

[Finman]

. I've never seen 1 cm of ice on the floor of a hive.

You live in South. That is why.

Go to Anchorage of Alaska.



. Somerseth guys have never seen ice sticks either.
.

 

[Erichalfbee]

You live in South. That is why.

Go to Anchorage of Alaska.



. Somerseth guys have never seen ice sticks either.
.

University of Fairbanks recommends that bees aren't overwintered in Alaska I have read. Do you know of beekeepers who try?

 

[user 6228]

University of Fairbanks recommends that bees aren't overwintered in Alaska I have read. Do you know of beekeepers who try?

There are deciduous trees in Alaska near the coast so it may be possible for wild honeybees to be present. There is not really temperature restriction on honeybees just the thermal quality of the nest and the suitability and quantity of forage.

 

[user 6228]

duplicate post

 

[Hivemaker.]

University of Fairbanks recommends that bees aren't overwintered in Alaska I have read. Do you know of beekeepers who try?

Here is one that does...http://alaskahoneybee.com/dev/alaska-winter-bees/about-me/

 

[Finman]

There are deciduous trees in Alaska near the coast so it may be possible for wild honeybees to be present. There is not really temperature restriction on honeybees just the thermal quality of the nest and the suitability and quantity of forage.

If you look the vegetation map of Alaska, it is mostly tundra about 300 km wide along coast line.

Our capital cityes are at same latitude, 60 degree, but tundra belt revieles that climate is very harsh. At same latitude and in regions we have wheat fields and they have tundra.

Fairbanks city situates at the same latitude as Oulu in Finland. IT is practically the border of beekeeping in our country.

Gulf Stream keeps our country warm. Our tundra begins at the head level of the country.

In Oulu level summer days are shilly. Favorable foraging days have very few working hours compared to South.
.

 

[user 6228]

If you look the vegetation map of Alaska, it is mostly tundra about 300 km wide along coast line.

Our capital cityes are at same latitude, 60 degree, but tundra belt revieles that climate is very harsh. At same latitude and in regions we have wheat fields and they have tundra.

Fairbanks city situates at the same latitude as Oulu in Finland. IT is practically the border of beekeeping in our country.

Gulf Stream keeps our country warm. Our tundra begins at the head level of the country.
.

The Alaska current keeps the coastal strip of Alaska warm. (relatively)
https://www.britannica.com/place/Alaska-Current