Warmth for the bees

[Zante]

The video does not indicate whether there is insulation between the inner and outer plastic layers. The design is "clever" but I wonder whether all the bells and whistles will work after they been gummed up with propolis after a couple of seasons. Will the plastic become brittle?

The next time I see the guys from Cornwall Honey, I'll ask how the turkish hive performs over the long term in English conditions.

CVB

Please let us know, I'm curious to know too.

I find them fairly ugly, but from the description they are well insulated and they appear to be well thought out. Of course the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so it would be good to hear from someone else who actually used them.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

Mine are in a wooden national PH, but it looks like this at the moment.

Do you plan on leaving the cover on during the summer, thus keeping the supers insulated or do you intend the insulation to be there only for winter and early spring.

I kept mine in place throughout the year and that did not appear to cause any problems - messing up the queen marking, missing queen cells in a Snelgrove manipulation and accidentally killing a queen caused problems but not the hive cozy!

CVB

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have those on my wooden hives. The only problem I found was I had to make "sleeves" of PIR as the stack grew. It's impossible to make those without creating gaps between them all so I took them off for the summer. I can't be bothered with it all now and plan to overwinter all the colonies in poly keeping the wood for AS.

 

[Millet]

Do you plan on leaving the cover on during the summer, thus keeping the supers insulated or do you intend the insulation to be there only for winter and early spring.

I kept mine in place throughout the year and that did not appear to cause any problems - messing up the queen marking, missing queen cells in a Snelgrove manipulation and accidentally killing a queen caused problems but not the hive cozy!

CVB

I will be taking it of when the weather warms up, it is a tight fit and awkward to slide of, i have a feed hole half open in the crown board and with the cosy being tight i would think it pulls a vacuum of cold air up through the hive when i remove it, so i think it is better left of for when weekly inspection are done to also save banging about too much and aggravating the bees any more than they need to be.

 

[Swarm]

The video does not indicate whether there is insulation between the inner and outer plastic layers. The design is "clever" but I wonder whether all the bells and whistles will work after they been gummed up with propolis after a couple of seasons. Will the plastic become brittle?

The next time I see the guys from Cornwall Honey, I'll ask how the turkish hive performs over the long term in English conditions.

CVB

As I mentioned earlier, the lady I know couldn't praise them enough and 'gummed up with propolis' was one of the first questions I raised.

 

[user 6228]

I have those on my wooden hives. The only problem I found was I had to make "sleeves" of PIR as the stack grew. It's impossible to make those without creating gaps between them all so I took them off for the summer. I can't be bothered with it all now and plan to overwinter all the colonies in poly keeping the wood for AS.

it is possible but you need a gasket material (e.g. 2mm correx on each box mating face) and careful construction.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

I have those on my wooden hives. The only problem I found was I had to make "sleeves" of PIR as the stack grew. It's impossible to make those without creating gaps between them all so I took them off for the summer. I can't be bothered with it all now and plan to overwinter all the colonies in poly keeping the wood for AS.

I foresaw the problem you describe with a cozy sleeve and did not attempt it. I worked on the theory that heat rises so preventing heat escaping at the top of the hive stack (my cozy covers two supers) is better than nothing - no doubt Derekm will put me right here.

One of these days, I'll get enough of a honey surplus to be able to justify the purchase of polyhives, but after 3 years each pound of honey produced owes me over £150 so I'll have to get a bit better at beekeeping before polyhives are purchased!

CVB

 

[charlievictorbravo]

I will be taking it of when the weather warms up, it is a tight fit and awkward to slide of, i have a feed hole half open in the crown board and with the cosy being tight i would think it pulls a vacuum of cold air up through the hive when i remove it, so i think it is better left of for when weekly inspection are done to also save banging about too much and aggravating the bees any more than they need to be.

The first Cozy I made was too tight and was modified. The internal dimensions of the cosy are now 10mm bigger than the outside dimensions of the National hive.

The problem I had with one colony last year was that propolis on the cover board stuck to the inside of the cosy roof and as I lifted the cosy, the cover board was lifted as well - on one occasion, the cb detached itself and fell back on the hive - the bees were not happy. Despite the minor problems, I'll continue with the cozies over the summer.

CVB

 

[madasafish]

My cosies have 1 cm gaps at each side. That's enough - even with my lack of skills.

Mine are only 1 brood box plus 1 super high. ( about 450 mm plus roof depth which is approx 100 - 150 mm) I reckon when two supers are required , the weather will be warm enough. Easily removed and replaced.

I have no other roofs for my langs so on hive all year job.