insulation

[whoosling]

Hi How do you insulate a hive when it gets cold, and how do you make the entrance smaller, may be simple questions to you guys but i'm still learning.
thanks in advance.

 

[Elaine]

I won't answer teh insulation question, as our bees already live in a hive made out of a very good insulating material - but as far as the entrance is concerned - you can buy entrance reducers which just slot into the existing entrance - or use something you have lying around to block it - depends a bit on the style of hive you have. If you need an immediate quick solution - get a bit of foam packing, and cut a strip off than and squash it into the entrance - if the bees don't like it or you make the hole too small - they'll chew it up and throw it out

 

[Cazza]

Hi whoosling.

You can easily reduce your entrance size if needed. You just need a piece of wood which will fit in the entrance cut to the length you require. So simple even I can do it and I have all the woodworking skills of a slug.

Insulation is easy too. Best material is builders Celotex style insulation cut to fit into a super placed over the crown board. You can also use bubble wrap, carpet, or even an old cushion.

Does that help?
Cazza

 

[whoosling]

Thanks you two now i'll sound really thick and ask how small do you reduce the entrance to?

 

[Ruary]

Well, I don't insulate nor do I close the entrance, I have an open mesh floor which is left open and the entrance to that is such that it works as a mouse excluder.

 

[itma]

Thanks you two now i'll sound really thick and ask how small do you reduce the entrance to?

Depends!
Something like 5mm tall and 100mm wide wouldn't be unusual.
A weaker colony (or one being atacked/robbed) could get a very small entrance - down to a single bee-sized hole.
I'm going to make one with a very wide entrance, to be attached to a mouseguard, as a means of mouseguarding a Pains Poly with its non-flat walls. You don't normally reduce and mouseguard at the same time, because of the risk of the mouseguard holes being blocked by dead bees. So, I don't want much reduction - I just want a short very wide entrance tunnel, because its the 'roof' of the tunnel that I really want. (Much clearer if you have a Pains hive in front of you!)


For a National, get some 20mm sq section pine strip from B&Q, Maybe £2. Just cut to length and make your hole!

// Entrance reducers for Nationals were £1 each at T's Windsor sale. Keep your eyes open!

 

[oliver90owner]

If the OP is considering both for the winter, the top insulation is a good idea (cheap and rapid pay-back). The entrance size makes little or no odds - if there is no direct wind into the entrance the temperature at that level will be virtually ambient. What is more important is having a decent sized entrance while being mouse-proof.

 

[itma]

Yes - I wasn't considering that the OP might be thinking that a reduced entrance was part of an insulation scheme.
That isn't what its for!

 

[Nic Rhodes]

Entrance reducers for Nationals were £1 each at T's Windsor sale. Keep your eyes open!

This may be wrong but I think they were for the budget hive and 'MAY' be a slightly different size. Can anyone confirm?

 

[itma]

This may be wrong but I think they were for the budget hive and 'MAY' be a slightly different size. Can anyone confirm?

I can!
Just been to the shed and checked.
Same cross-section, but about a quarter of an inch longer than standard.

Not so much a problem for the entrance reducer (even I could shorten it), but maybe worth a 'heads up' to sale purchasers of the 'budget' floor ...

 

[Nic Rhodes]

I can!
Just been to the shed and checked.
Same cross-section, but about a quarter of an inch longer than standard.

Not so much a problem for the entrance reducer (even I could shorten it), but maybe worth a 'heads up' to sale purchasers of the 'budget' floor ...

Thanks, at least they are longer!

 

[whoosling]

again thanks for all the answers

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The entrance size makes little or no odds - if there is no direct wind into the entrance the temperature at that level will be virtually ambient. What is more important is having a decent sized entrance while being mouse-proof.

Thus the patent under floor entrance

 

[itma]

Thus the patent under floor entrance

I doubt Mr Dartington will sue!

 

[Arfermo]

Well, I don't insulate nor do I close the entrance, I have an open mesh floor which is left open and the entrance to that is such that it works as a mouse excluder.