They're ALIVE ;)

[emmac79]

We've had some really bitterly cold weather and even though I've insulated (possibly not enough), I was still worried they had succumbed to the cold. However, as you can see, they're still alive in there - for now! I know, Winter has only just begun...

 

[pargyle]

Good ... so far so good. It's always a risk in winter in the UK with top bar hives ...they are not called Kenyan Top Bar hives for no reason. Very reassuring to see the heat of the cluster though. Keep your fingers crossed.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes fingers crossed. Can you wrap them in any insulation?
@pargyle ....wasn't yours double skinned with insulation in-between.....or was that the long hive?

One reason why I like poly.

 

[pargyle]

Yes fingers crossed. Can you wrap them in any insulation?
@pargyle ....wasn't yours double skinned with insulation in-between.....or was that the long hive?

One reason why I like poly.

The second top bar I built was double skinned timber on timber - my long deep hive is double walled with 20mm of polystyrene between the inner and outer skins. Madasafish was my guiding light with top bar hives ... we've all moved on these days but my LDH still gets used occasionally.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Yes fingers crossed. Can you wrap them in any insulation?
@pargyle ....wasn't yours double skinned with insulation in-between.....or was that the long hive?

One reason why I like poly.

Bubble wrap to keep heat in glasshouses is popular with commercial growers. It's a cheap additional bit of insulation.

 

[JamezF]

Bubble wrap to keep heat in glasshouses is popular with commercial growers. It's a cheap additional bit of insulation.

Not sure how well it would cope with being exposed to the elements if it were used to wrap a hive though. When I've seen bubble wrap used for insulating greenhouses it's always been on the inside.

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

Not sure how well it would cope with being exposed to the elements if it were used to wrap a hive though. When I've seen bubble wrap used for insulating greenhouses it's always been on the inside.

James

Yes
I think Emma needs a cosy. Something to consider for next year?

 

[Bryang]

Not sure how well it would cope with being exposed to the elements if it were used to wrap a hive though. When I've seen bubble wrap used for insulating greenhouses it's always been on the inside.

James

I have been wrapping my hives in the same bubble wrap for 7 years, I used it originally to line my glass house in late winter/early spring to start off my tom plants. So it is now well over 20 years old and is still looking good.

 

[emmac79]

I topped the bars with wool insulation and then put a tarp over the top and a full bag of soil to keep that in place. I do have some hay bales around one of them but not the other. That's something I'll get and help create a bit of a shield of sorts.

I've seen what looks like a boiler insulation used in hives in Canada. Seemed fairly easy and effective.

I plan on having the top bars built next year with thicker wood. The hives I bought from commercial UK hive sellers weren't especially thick.

 

[pargyle]

I topped the bars with wool insulation and then put a tarp over the top and a full bag of soil to keep that in place. I do have some hay bales around one of them but not the other. That's something I'll get and help create a bit of a shield of sorts.

I've seen what looks like a boiler insulation used in hives in Canada. Seemed fairly easy and effective.

I plan on having the top bars built next year with thicker wood. The hives I bought from commercial UK hive sellers weren't especially thick.

It's not that difficult to make your existing TBH into double walled with a gap between for 25mm of Celotx or Kingspan. Something a local handyman could do in an afternoon. At this time of the year you could even do it with the bees in residence and the entrance closed up. Ask around on Favebook for a retired chippie with a creative bent ...

 

[judy12]

I contacted my local carpet shop and asked whether they had any small-sized offcuts of woollen carpets I could buy. They'd just thrown out a skipful, were very pleased to think that pieces big enough to cover a crown board could be useful and are looking out some unwanted woollen carpet samples for me. I love recycling.

 

[Newbeeneil]

It's not that difficult to make your existing TBH into double walled with a gap between for 25mm of Celotx or Kingspan. Something a local handyman could do in an afternoon. At this time of the year you could even do it with the bees in residence and the entrance closed up. Ask around on Favebook for a retired chippie with a creative bent ...

For goodness sake Philip, a bent What?……… the suspense is killing me.