To Vent or not to Vent

grizzly · Nov 14, 2009

Was looking at an old thread on Ventilation, and coupled with an article i read yesterday in a magazine i thought it might be good to run a poll and get comments again for those who may be entering their first winter.

I have OMF on all hives, i have closed up the vents in the CB, as i do NOT want a chimney effect being created through the hive over winter.

Reading this article yesterday i groaned when i saw an experienced beekeeper singing the praises of top ventilation, just when i thought the majority of us agreed that allowing draughts to howl up through a hive in winter was probably not a great idea.

What have you done with yours ?

Heather · Nov 14, 2009

OMF, top sealed and bubble wrap over that.

SER · Nov 14, 2009

Mine have OMF and solid CB with a bit of multi-layer foil/fleece roof insulation under the roof.

The hive stands I made have fairly deep sides which I think will have a similar effect to sitting the BB on a super and stop the wind (which is really blowing at the moment!) from whistling right under the OMF.

I also have a poly nuc with an OMF.

This is my first winter so it's all trial and error and fingers crossed for me

MJBee · Nov 14, 2009

OMF and holes in CB covered and insulation on top. I made my own floors with a removable solid insert 50mm below the mesh. In really cold or windy weather this can be put in to reduce the bottom ventilation to a "letter box" shaped slot at the back of the hive 50mm x 450mm.
:cheers2:

Mike

RoofTops · Nov 14, 2009

Polyhives - no CB but a solid roof so no top ventilation. OMF left open. These type of hive are designed to be used without top ventilation from the outset although some have a roof which can be inverted to allow a top entrance in time of high nectar flow.

FenBee · Nov 16, 2009

I have open mesh floor with the holes in the crown board covered by two packets of ready made icing sugar, on each hive. Box on top of the crown board gave room for plenty of insulation.

They should not need the ready ice as the two hives have already taken approximately 50Kg of sugar syrup this Autumn, along with 1% of Vita Spring Gold and 1% of Vita Autumn Green.
But the ready ice is there just in case they run low.