Insulation?

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Nannysbees

Drone Bee
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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?
 
Insulation is the most important in spring when brooding starts and bees get pollen fom nature. The colony becomes sooner ready to catch yield when the hive is warm.

In spring I add 15W electric heating on the bottom . Big hives are able to rear 3 times more brood with heating
 
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 now have Lyson (Abelo) polyhives so yes I do use insulation all year round. I did use wooden hives previously with kingspan hive cosy's which stayed on all year. Insulation keeps heat in during winter and out during summer especially in the sun.
 
I now have Lyson (Abelo) polyhives so yes I do use insulation all year round. I did use wooden hives previously with kingspan hive cosy's which stayed on all year. Insulation keeps heat in during winter and out during summer especially in the sun.
Oh did you!!! i didn't think to leave it on through the summer months that's given me something to think about thank you. Do you prefer the polyhive?
 
I now have Lyson (Abelo) polyhives so yes I do use insulation all year round. I did use wooden hives previously with kingspan hive cosy's which stayed on all year. Insulation keeps heat in during winter and out during summer especially in the sun.
+1
 
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?
Insulation (50mm celotex) stays permanently glued inside all hive roofs
 
I’m a “50mm of insulation in the roof” convert after advice on here and it seems to be working well. Don’t bother will insulating around the hive, living in balmy London and all that. Although next winter when I plan to be on double brood, I’ll use celotex insulation as follower boards as they won’t need all the space.
 
What's the simplest way of making insulated dummy boards? Anyone got a quick and easy method? TIA
 
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We insulated inside the lid and the outside so you would leave all this on through the summer?
 

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What's the simplest way of making insulated dummy boards? Anyone got a quick and easy method? TIA
I’ve just cut the celotex to the size of frame, sealed the edges with aluminium tape and will use stuck in cocktail sticks instead of lugs. Someone on here advised this some time back and it works fine.
 
I’ve just cut the celotex to the size of frame, sealed the edges with aluminium tape and will use stuck in cocktail sticks instead of lugs. Someone on here advised this some time back and it works fine.

Genius! So simple!

Will give it a try. Thanks
 
I’ve just cut the celotex to the size of frame, sealed the edges with aluminium tape and will use stuck in cocktail sticks instead of lugs. Someone on here advised this some time back and it works fine.
I do the same. Think it was Swarm who posted some photos.
 
Celotex in the roofs all year. Celotex outside the hives will be removed imminently.
 
Forgot, dimensions are sixteen and five eighths by eight and a half inches. Use a mix of 50 and 25mm so it;s easier to adjust space or even when inspecting, as you can see, there is no dummy board space. Remove a rear 25mm and the other board can move to give you space.
I run my bees this way as they seem to prefer it and I find it useful and versatile, the boards are convenient and light. I've used abelo roofs for years as I found them much better than a wood/celotex combo. Insulated, do not leak, no constructing and all for basically the price of a second shallow roof.
Now just to chuck a spanner in the works, I have had to press some old stuff back into service and I have old wooden roofs with no insulation and the bees in these hives are just as happy as the rest.
 
Celitex doesn’t come 5mm get the 1 inch slot into frame seal edges before or tape to frame it’s up to you
 

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