Insulation?

[Bear]

Have you used insulation this year? If not why? If yes why?I know we all live in different areas with different climates, when do you remove your insulation roughly?

I insulate mine for winter then probably take off the insulation about April. Weather dependant. I do have 1 hive which I basically neglected after I united it. No insulation, no feed just 2 brood boxes and the leftover paper in between. 1st March hive alive, queen laying. I now have them on syrup for food but still no insulation. Does anybody use lambs wool for insulation? That’s starting to get popular in the building trade.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Deap roofs have 75mm of poly or King's pan.
Shallow roofs have 25-50mm of poly or King's pan.
I've found the polystyrene that you get around a new washing machine, fridge, or freezer is handy. ive used good gaffa tape to join the poly and made it a really tight fit so it doesn't fall out.
Our insulation stays in all year for the same reasons that others have said.
All new roofs don't have the batons in they get used for ekes, CBs, or solid floors, secondary floors etc.

 

[pargyle]

What's the simplest way of making insulated dummy boards? Anyone got a quick and easy method? TIA

Here you go .. whatr's left of an old cot for the top bar ... drill holes through to take bamboo skewers .. insert bamboo skewers into celotex ... add a bit of no more nails to be sure, tape cut edges with aluminium tape -job done.

 

[CaptainCymru]

I have the outer brood frames replaced with cork frames , the outside groove on brood box where you grab is also lined with cork . On top there is a multipurpose crownboard where the fondant sits with a layer of sponge on top ,then a normal crownboard with a reflective heat shield then more sponge on top of that , all and all it's like Barbados in there!no chances taken .

 

[Bassett]

Been using carpet sample tiles for years now that were given freely since they were not current patterns. Usually 18 X18" so fit nationals a treat.
Put 3 layers under each roof in November and remove in April at first inspection. All my hives are on OMF and the only time I use the bottom boards are for varroa counts and OA treatment.

 

[Fiona in South View]

Years ago I started wrapping my hives in bubble wrap insulation on the outside over winter, but this was more about keeping the wood dry as they had been moved to a more damp location and my winter losses increased. Bees did far better so have continued the practice. Tried poly hives for the same reason, but I find the cleaning process a bit of a pain. Have been looking at a kingspan outside wrap since seeing it on this forum. I aways insulate the lid and need to make that permanent as suggested.

 

[cwinte]

For last few seasons I have put 3 old double glazing panels around the hives, they lean in a bit over the stand and have a weighted cord around the top to avoid gales moving them. This maintains some ventilation, reduces heat loss (especially those cold winds) and allows solar gain when there is any sun. I remove them when the days are hotting up and replace with Autumn chill, so they are on for something like Nov to April here in Kent.
They also have some wooden louvres I knocked up on the sunny southern aspects to allow low winter and morning sun to the hive but minimise midday heat. It is all capped off with some discarded large square tiles that overhang everything and reduce drips so it is rare that water gets to the hives except in summer (when that overhang and an air gap below the tile keep the hive cooler all day).

I suppose this is somewhat like the 2 layer trad hives but offers the solar gain and removability. I have not needed to top up stores or feed sugars at all leaving them a fair measure of the fruits of their efforts. Obviously my bee keeping is more hobbyist and for their benefit rather than maximum honey yield!

The edges of the double glazed can be sharp so I run an old slit in half bicycle inner tube around the edge which provides safety, grip and seals draughts (I do add triangular pieces of wood at some corners to fill any large gaps where panels do not meet neatly).
There seems to be a lot of replacing old double glazing so it is easy to pick up plenty of suitably sized panels by asking a few owners when I spot a pile in the driveway - or local (re)glazers.

Last tile use: suitable 18x12" tiles placed sideways fit just below my entrance landings and prevent underflying (and reduce cold winds under the hive when the floor is open). I asked the manageress at local tile shop and they normally have a pallet of end of line samples or slight damages out the back I can pick through, protective gloves advised...

Ohhh, of course I also use under lid insulation - normally the wool in plastic bag panels that come with some food deliveries are perfect.

I quite like the Heath Robinson look!

 

[oliver90owner]

Insulation, up to a point (thinking hugely excessive smounts) is good all year round. I never remove any, except that which I used to strap to the sides of some hives.

Bees are perfectly able to regulate their hive environment at a suitable temperature as long as sufficient ventilation (all at the bottom of the nest, none at the top) and water can be sourced in times of excessive temperature.

Insulation retains heat during the winter months, allowing the bees to maintain a safe cluster temperature with minimal stores consumption, and reduces direct heating (due to insolation) to a minimum during the summer. Win win, as I see it. I doubt anyone will argue the above, but go ahead if you must.

I used celotex like Phil - only I just used tight fitting slabs with a foam strip to seal against the crownboard, to reduce heat loss over the top. I was not bothered with sealing at the bottom of the box (I over-wintered my bees on only one box, generally).

 

[Barbarian]

I don't insulate my hives. I think that insulation inceases the heat in the brood nest which causes the bees to use more stores.
I prefer to feed my hives if they get light. I prefer to breed from the hives that have not needed feeding.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Each to his/her own. I do use insulated hives and have no practical or logical reason to consider otherwise.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

If any forum members would want a Zoom talk for their local group from DerekM of this parish, I can say from experience a week ago that he mesmerized most of our local group members talking about his research into insulation and ventilation. Thoroughly recommended. Send him a pm if interested.

CVB

 

[Erichalfbee]

If any forum members would want a Zoom talk for their local group from DerekM of this parish, I can say from experience a week ago that he mesmerized most of our local group members talking about his research into insulation and ventilation. Thoroughly recommended. Send him a pm if interested.

CVB

Derek asked Angie to be removed from the forum so PMs won’t work

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I don't insulate my hives. I think that insulation inceases the heat in the brood nest which causes the bees to use more stores.

Know what you mean - I had to remove loads of unused winter stores from the hives (and nucs) last spring, and I think it will be the same story this year.
Oh! hold on a moment........................ All my hives are insulated, maybe I should strip it all out - they won't need any food at all next winter if that's the case

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Derek asked Angie to be removed from the forum so PMs won’t work

I still have an email address of his from a few years back - whether it's still active I don't know

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Derek asked Angie to be removed from the forum so PMs won’t work

That's a great pity. I found his technical knowledge extremely interesting.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I don't insulate my hives. I think that insulation inceases the heat in the brood nest which causes the bees to use more stores.

I run both wood and poly
In winter the bees in the poly hives are more active and cluster at far lower temperatures than those in the wooden hives.
Active bees use fewer stores.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

I still have an email address of his from a few years back - whether it's still active I don't know

If members want to contact Derek, pm me and I will send the email address that is current.

CVB

 

[gmonag]

I run both wood and poly
In winter the bees in the poly hives are more active and cluster at far lower temperatures than those in the wooden hives.
Active bees use fewer stores.

Really? I thought clustered bees use fewer stores.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Really? I thought clustered bees use fewer stores.

No. It takes more energy to keep a cluster alive.
I regularly have to pull frames of stores out of poly hives at first inspection.

 

[user 819]

I don't insulate my hives. I think that insulation inceases the heat in the brood nest which causes the bees to use more stores.
I prefer to feed my hives if they get light. I prefer to breed from the hives that have not needed feeding.

Contradiction at it's best.