Poly hive performance in heatwave

[oxnatbees]

Poly hives are excellent insulators, but lack thermal mass.

Does anyone with both poly and wooden hives have any observations on their comparative performance in our recent weather, touching 40C in parts of England?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Can you explain why a poly hive might need thermal mass?

 

[blackcloud]

Most hives have a gaping hole underneath

 

[madasafish]

I have a mix of all wood (with insulation), all poly and poly brood box with wooden floors and supers. Our highest temperature was 35C on Tuesday. All my OMFs are closed. Most of my floors have underfloor entrances.

No visible change between any and no bearding. Mine are on grass ,on stands and far away from buildings which retain and reflect heat .Not much shade from trees..open aspects.

Mini nucs (14) are all shielded from direct sunlight by roof covers: lots of fanning in more exposed ones. No absconding

Easy access to standing water within 30 meters.

 

[CaptainCymru]

Mine are sat in poly 6 frame jumbo Lang nuc on a concrete slab, OMF , hive is about 5ft tall though so imagine it’s hot in supers but cool in brood boxes.

 

[oxnatbees]

Thanks folks!

 

[oxnatbees]

Can you explain why a poly hive might need thermal mass?

I don't know if they *need* thermal mass - the responses indicate they get on fine without it - I was just curious how they compared to more massive hives.

 

[steve1958]

Temperatures were pretty high here in the South of England and many local beekeepers were taking steps to protect their hives,
covering the metal roofs, putting up shade, increasing ventilation and possibly more.
I left my poly hives alone.
Three days later I opened them up, and they were all fine.
The Queens were laying, the bees appeared happy and nothing had melted.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

why should either have fared worse than the other? it's the bees that regulate the interior temperature - not the box.

 

[tidymeup]

A good number of my hives were sat out in the open in fields in Essex, all Paradise langstroth hives and as far as I can tell the preformed very well.

Certainly no disadvantages at all.