Ventilation for winter

[john1]

Hi,
I am planning to close the roof ventilations in the winter.
Hive has a mesh floor.
Hive is sitting on a glass tea table with a little bit gap between mesh floor and the stand.
So, the only ventilation they will have through the mesh floor and bee entrance.
Is that ventilation (air) enough for the bees in winter?
I am planning to leave a super with some honey in it and on top of it I will have another super with some insulation.
I hope I do not need to keep the Varroa inspection board under the mesh floor.
Thanks,

 

[Erichalfbee]

So, the only ventilation they will have through the mesh floor and bee entrance.
Is that ventilation (air) enough for the bees in winter?

Yes
And you don’t need roof ventilation at any time

 

[rolande]

Hi,
I am planning to close the roof ventilations in the winter.
Hive has a mesh floor.
Hive is sitting on a glass tea table with a little bit gap between mesh floor and the stand.
So, the only ventilation they will have through the mesh floor and bee entrance.
Is that ventilation (air) enough for the bees in winter?
I am planning to leave a super with some honey in it and on top of it I will have another super with some insulation.
I hope I do not need to keep the Varroa inspection board under the mesh floor.
Thanks,

As you've got insulation between the bees and the roof I can't see the need to physically close the roof vents. In your set up all they're going to do is allow any damp which manages to get under the roof to dry out. Lots of our roofs have no ventilation areas which is why I'm gradually tacking a couple thin strips of wood inside, if you have solid covers then it really does no harm to raise the roof slightly.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

what the roof needs is not ventilation but insulation close off those silly little vents (no other hive in the world has them - apart from the alibaba langstroths designed for tropical areas which has massive totally unneccesary gaping holes) and either take out the slim battens tacked to the inside of the roof and fill the whole area with 50mm kingspan permanently fixed in place or just ensure that the kingspan fills the whole area inside those battens - no need to 'raise' the roof, no need for any air gaps at all in the roof and you shouldn't have any gaping holes in the crownboard either

 

[Buzby]

Oh NOooooooooooooo roof ventilation again. Where's me matchsticks.

 

[Murox]

Oh NOooooooooooooo roof ventilation again. Where's me matchsticks.

 

[john1]

Thank you very much,
Will the air coming through the mesh floor and a small bee entrance be enough for the bees?
My hive is sitting on a glass tea table. So, there will not be much air coming through the mesh floor.

 

[Boston Bees]

Will the air coming through the mesh floor and a small bee entrance be enough for the bees?

More than enough

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

yes, more than enough

 

[Swarm]

Thank you very much,
Will the air coming through the mesh floor and a small bee entrance be enough for the bees?
My hive is sitting on a glass tea table. So, there will not be much air coming through the mesh floor.

I'm worrying a little about the safety issue. Is this a permanent thing or do you intend to put the hive on a stand? As the hive becomes very heavy with supers etc, I'm wondering if the current set up would take it.

 

[john1]

Thanks for mentioning it.
It is a very strong glass table.
I am planning to move the hive to a wooden stand next year.

 

[hemo]

A tree doesn't have top ventilation unless a woodpecker adds it.

 

[Amaranth]

Thank you very much,
Will the air coming through the mesh floor and a small bee entrance be enough for the bees?
My hive is sitting on a glass tea table. So, there will not be much air coming through the mesh floor.

As long as your hive is very well insulated to avoid condensation, then that should be enough ventilation. It won’t be if you have not insulated it, but you surely will have.

 

[Finman]

When you have meshfloor, you do not need any other ventilation hole.

To keep mesh floor on the glass table, it means that, water stays above the glass. Change the material, the the bottom of hive is not always moist.

 

[madasafish]

My insulated hives have OMFs closed and entrances narrowed down to 1-2 beespace high x100mm wide. (To dissuade mice and wasps. I don't use mouseguards as most have underfloor entrances. )

No condensation, no bees fanning so no issues. And KISS.

 

[Lazy K]

This is my first year with bees and I have Paradise polystyrene hives. The manufacturer recommends just keeping the bottom mesh open and reducing the entrance. No other ventilation. I'm happy to hear from others that have actually used this type of ventilation.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hi Lazy K and welcome to the forum
Most of us on mesh floors use no other ventilation. It's the standard
A location a little more specific than Earth would be helpful
Looking at your avatar we use "cupboard" so I guess somewhere over The Pond?

 

[madasafish]

I run Jumbo Langstroths with solid floors, under floor entrances and no ventilation.
Never had a problem even in summer: hive stands and wind see to that.

 

[Lazy K]

Hi Lazy K and welcome to the forum
Most of us on mesh floors use no other ventilation. It's the standard
A location a little more specific than Earth would be helpful
Looking at your avatar we use "cupboard" so I guess somewhere over The Pond?

Ok, since you asked I changed my profile so my location is identified. I'm in the mountains (7000 feet elevation) Southwest USA.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ok, since you asked I changed my profile so my location is identified. I'm in the mountains (7000 feet elevation) Southwest USA.

Maybe solid floors are an option for you up there. Have a look at French Hill Apiaries. Michael is a forum member here and although Vermont is completely the other side of the country he does experience cold snowy winters.