Very Very Low Store's

[Finman]

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When your colony does not even fill one box, 15 cm x1 cm entrance gives enough ventilation to the colony. Keep meshfloor shut. Don't keep upper holes open.

 

[Millet]

Looks as if we posted at exactly the same time. Understandable error.


Almost all colonies will benefit from top insulation, no colony needs to have to live in a wind tunnel. As a minimum cover those holes with something - a bit of plywood, a bit of polythene, anything to keep the draughts down.

Also, the inspection board should only be used when you're counting varroa. The mesh is enough to stop updrafts - think of the way a trellis can reduce wind damage in a garden, only better.

I know the bee's don't like light from below by the reving noise that resembles a Sthil chainsaw at full thrash.. that's why i put the inspection board back Asap .. on the ventilation subject.. it has my head cabbage d..as i have read different veiw's what ever i read.. close the crown board don't close the crown board cover half the crown board Don't cover half and so on.. the mind boggles .. lol .

 

[Hawklord]

I know the bee's don't like light from below by the reving noise that resembles a Sthil chainsaw at full thrash.. that's why i put the inspection board back Asap .. on the ventilation subject.. it has my head cabbage d..as i have read different veiw's what ever i read.. close the crown board don't close the crown board cover half the crown board Don't cover half and so on.. the mind boggles .. lol .

The open mesh floor is there to create a natural varroa drop. The crown board is there as a cover to stop bees building onto the underside of the roof. Cold temps will not kill bees but wet bees will die. With no hole in the crown board heat will rise from the cluster condense on the underside of the crown board and the moisture will drip on the bees. With a hole in the crown board the heat will rise through the roof space.

 

[Tremyfro]

The open mesh floor is there to create a natural varroa drop. The crown board is there as a cover to stop bees building onto the underside of the roof. Cold temps will not kill bees but wet bees will die. With no hole in the crown board heat will rise from the cluster condense on the underside of the crown board and the moisture will drip on the bees. With a hole in the crown board the heat will rise through the roof space.

Ooo....err...I think there will be a few people questioning those statements...guess they will be along soon!
I am glad I have well insulated hives which don't drip cold water on my bees. I never knew an OMF could make the varroa drop....
Tee Hee....feeling norty now.....

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The open mesh floor is there to create a natural varroa drop. The crown board is there as a cover to stop bees building onto the underside of the roof. Cold temps will not kill bees but wet bees will die. With no hole in the crown board heat will rise from the cluster condense on the underside of the crown board and the moisture will drip on the bees. With a hole in the crown board the heat will rise through the roof space.

What absolute tosh. There is no justification for ever leaving a gaping hole in the crownboard

 

[wessexmario]

The condensation problem can be easily solved by having insulation, either an insulated cover board, or incorporated into the roof .

 

[Hawklord]

Yes we've been through it all before on this forum, and the fors and againsts will remain forever. My hives have open mesh floors with a large hole in the crown board and they build up and reach swarm mode at the same time as everybody else's.

 

[Moggs]

A crown board is a solid closed entity. A clearer board has two holes for horrid Porter bee escapes. Leave Porters in the holes in a clearer board and bees will glue them up. Go figure...


I've had that déjà vu before...

 

[Hawklord]

Well ... there's none as deaf as those that won't hear. There will always be one swimming against the tide and it looks like it's you ...

Too many sheep on the forum.

 

[Hawklord]

A crown board is a solid closed entity. A clearer board has two holes for horrid Porter bee escapes. Leave Porters in the holes in a clearer board and bees will glue them up. Go figure...


I've had that déjà vu before...

Plenty of hives being sold with crown boards with a hole in.

 

[pargyle]

Too many sheep on the forum.

Not me ... I'm usually out on my own somewhere ... I came to the insulated hives, closed crown board route by my own thinking initially ....then I came across Bill Bielby who, in his book Home Honey Production, published 1972, said ... the most successful way to overwinter bees is to make your hives as draught free as possible ... he also said 'You can NEVER have too much insulation' (His emphasis not mine.)

After that there have been many on here who share the same idea - not sheep - if you want sheep you need to look at those who still try and lift the crown boards with matchsticks.

I even seal my crown boards to the top of the hive in winter with aluminium tape. I've seen how my bees still seal every last nook and cranny with propolis. You only have to listen to the bees to know what they prefer ... but until you actually TRY something different you will never know ?

 

[Finman]

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There are two type of floors, solid and mesh. Boath work as well when you know how to use them.

But there are two things in ventilation too: Proper and too much. To much/cold hive keeps build up slow.

There should be no condensation in summer when hive has brood and inside temp is high. Who has met that?

Lets ask again about mesh floor: Why 8 frame colony needs as much ventilation as 5 box hive?

About natural mite drop through the mesh. Mites kill bees as well in mesh hive as in solid floor hive.
.

 

[Moggs]

Plenty of hives being sold with crown boards with a hole in.

Of course. Most beekeepers will want to use a clearer board at some point. So that is what is included in the package!


I've had that déjà vu before...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Plenty of hives being sold with crown boards with a hole in.

That's to keep the sheep happy

 

[Ely]

There are plenty of sensible posts regarding top insulation on this forum for you to read. If you have a basic knowledge of science you should be able to work out whether a through breeze with gaping holes at the top or a nice warm insulated hive with no holes is best. Leave the clueless practises for the ones that refuse to educate themselves on better practises.

 

[madasafish]

I have found that much beekeeping "lore" is related to events long since past.. Simple physics and an enquiring mind have helped my beekeeping...

That is not to say some of the guidelines given are not sensible.. but I run a poly hive in parallel with 3 wooden ones. All have insulation, fixed roofs and no holes in the roof.. No condensation in summer - well not a normal summer...

As for bee health and vigour, no comparison.. Polyhive is miles ahead.

But calling some beekeepers "sheep" is rather unfair. After all, some people have little time and are too rushed to think or search out/enquire..

 

[wessexmario]

My hives have open mesh floors with a large hole in the crown board and they build up and reach swarm mode at the same time as everybody else's.

Strawman argument. Swarming is not relevant to insulation/ventilation.

Hear what the bees tell you.

 

[Hawklord]

There are plenty of sensible posts regarding top insulation on this forum for you to read. If you have a basic knowledge of science you should be able to work out whether a through breeze with gaping holes at the top or a nice warm insulated hive with no holes is best. Leave the clueless practises for the ones that refuse to educate themselves on better practises.

There is no gaping hole nor is there a breeze flowing through my hives. Yes there is a hole with a flow of fresh air through the hive. I believe fresh air is more important than stale air.

 

[Ely]

There is no gaping hole nor is there a breeze flowing through my hives. Yes there is a hole with a flow of fresh air through the hive. I believe fresh air is more important than stale air.

Mesh floor with sealed crownboard has more than adequate ventilation to replace stale air without losing heat that the bees work so hard to produce. Top ventilation really doesn't make any sense and has no benefit for a colony on a mesh floor. All the evidence is there. It is up to you to accept it, or not. New beekeepers really shouldn't be encouraged to have both top and bottom ventilation.

 

[Finman]

I have found that much beekeeping "lore" is related to events long since past.. Simple physics and an enquiring mind have helped my beekeeping...

..

That is true. And forum discussions rise up new stories. Beekeepers love more humbug than facts.

When I teached varroa treatment on this forum, and I copied the recipes of EU varroa work group, it took only 30 seconds when forum members made their own recipe and no one had used it before.

Same with pollen patty feeding. Salt is added even if no laboratory has mentioned about it. Milk powder is added even if no laboratory recommend it. Milk powder has 50% lactose which a bees cannot eate.
Very few admit that protein is needed in larva rearing, but 100% says that sugar feeding accelerates brood rearing.