What did you do in the 'workshop' today

[pargyle]

There may of course be other reasons it won't work, but I might be tempted to put one of the poly blocks at either end to improve the insulation of both walls rather than have them both at one end.

James

But don't forget to leave the entrance accessible ....

 

[Erichalfbee]

, hoping the bees don’t just chew it, guess i’ll see!

Cover it in aluminium foil or they will burrow into it.

 

[Mabee]

Cover it in aluminium foil or they will burrow into it.

Why would they burrow into it if they don’t do that with the poly hive? Not doubting your theory just wondering why? i’ve also got a follower board against it…

 

[Sutty]

A couple of years ago I covered the crown board hole on a couple of hives with a piece of low density polystyrene - the bees very actively nibbled it away, leaving me briefly wondering what the pile of white beneath the omf floor was!
The same happened to bits of low density polystyrene I used in a feeder to avoid drowning.
So I'd use high density stuff to dummy down, or wrap in aluminium tape.

 

[Mabee]

But don't forget to leave the entrance accessible ....

Most of my floors are under floor entrances but good point!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Cover it in aluminium foil or they will burrow into it.

How dense is it?
I’m looking at the picture on my phone
Apologies ….if it’s really dense solid stuff they won’t.
If it’s completely isolated from the rest of the hive and bees don’t have access to it it doesn’t matter.
Bees burrow into unprotected Celotex

 

[pargyle]

Most of my floors are under floor entrances but good point!

I made up a nuc a coupe of years ago and forgot to turn the entrance disc round so they had an entrance ... went back the following day and saw all the other colonies were flying ... and it was only when I looked into the Nuc and the bees all came out to play that I realised what I had done. No harm as it happens but it could have been a disaster.

 

[pargyle]

How dense is it?
I’m looking at the picture on my phone
Apologies ….if it’s really dense solid stuff they won’t.
If it’s completely isolated from the rest of the hive and bees don’t have access to it it doesn’t matter.
Bees burrow into unprotected Celotex

I would still cover the cut edges with aluminium tape ... if it's dense polystyrene the faces will be OK but if they are cut edges they are capable of burrowing - and if it's not high density the will have a go at it ...

 

[Mabee]

I would still cover the cut edges with aluminium tape ... if it's dense polystyrene the faces will be OK but if they are cut edges they are capable of burrowing - and if it's not high density the will have a go at it ...

already got some on order now!

 

[Sutty]

already got some on order now!

Can find it at b&q and Screwfix easily

 

[pargyle]

Can find it at b&q and Screwfix easily

This is my goto aluminium tape ...from Toolstation.

https://www.toolstation.com/aluminium-foil-tape/p97723

 

[Somerford]

I found my broom and gave the floor a good sweeping and filled 3 large bags of rubbish. Nice to create space to fill with frames and new boxes ready for the new season

 

[Mabee]

I would still cover the cut edges with aluminium tape ... if it's dense polystyrene the faces will be OK but if they are cut edges they are capable of burrowing - and if it's not high density the will have a go at it ...

better?

 

[madasafish]

I would still cover the cut edges with aluminium tape ... if it's dense polystyrene the faces will be OK but if they are cut edges they are capable of burrowing - and if it's not high density the will have a go at it ...

I make nucs from Celotex. They work very well BUT:
to create more space when crowded, the bees burrow through the foil and eat away the foam underneath - at the bottom of the nuc adjacent to the floor.
Not once or twice but every year.

 

[Sutty]

I make nucs from Celotex. They work very well BUT:
to create more space when crowded, the bees burrow through the foil and eat away the foam underneath - at the bottom of the nuc adjacent to the floor.
Not once or twice but every year.

Is that because there is an "edge" they can get hold of?
Maybe a strip of aluminium tape to cover the edge/join.

 

[madasafish]

Is that because there is an "edge" they can get hold of?
Maybe a strip of aluminium tape to cover the edge/join.

All corners already taped with aluminium foil,

 

[Swarm]

better?

Better off with the foil covering but just be aware they will be very difficult to remove as the bees will propolise them solid. I fit mine inside DN 1 frames to avoid this. Not a problem if you never want to move them.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Started cleaning frames up removing wax and making new frames , I should start with the boxes first but I’m shaking it up for the new year

 

[Mabee]

Better off with the foil covering but just be aware they will be very difficult to remove as the bees will propolise them solid. I fit mine inside DN 1 frames to avoid this. Not a problem if you never want to move them.

Took your advice and made one up as suggested, I don't know why I didn't think of that in the first place...

 

[Garry R]

Took your advice and made one up as suggested, I don't know why I didn't think of that in the first place...

And another advantage of the frames is that you can use the cheap polystyrene sheet from Wickes rather than Kingspan and silver tape them into the frames. I've been doing this for years and it works a treat.