When to take insulation off?

[Otleybee]

One of my hives is getting very light so I went up today to put 2kg of Fondant on. As soon as I removed the roof I noticed through the holes in the crown board that they were all lined up on the top of the frames fanning.

Too hot? It was 11 degrees here in Yorkshire today. They are in a national hive with 1.5 inches of insulation above the crown board.

Have I encouraged them to use too much stores by putting insulation on and when do I take it off?

 

[oliver90owner]

OmF or solid? Ventiation? Insulation should keep them cool! I leave insulation in the roof space all year round. No different than a polyhive!

Regards, RAB

 

[Otleybee]

OmF or solid? Ventiation? Insulation should keep them cool! I leave insulation in the roof space all year round. No different than a polyhive!

Regards, RAB

Hi Rab,

They are on open mesh floor with the insert out. No top ventilation.

Alan

 

[oliver90owner]

OK, so they will consume more stores than a solid floor but mine are like that all winter.

More than adequate ventilation. I slid an underboard, partly across one of my Dartingtons today - it will keep a bit of warmth in without affecting ventilation, will give me an idea of how where they are uncapping and mite drop, if any.

Perhaps they were very light on stores?

Regards, RAB

 

[MuswellMetro]

OK, so they will consume more stores than a solid floor but mine are like that all winter.

More than adequate ventilation. I slid an underboard, partly across one of my Dartingtons today - it will keep a bit of warmth in without affecting ventilation, will give me an idea of how where they are uncapping and mite drop, if any.

Perhaps they were very light on stores?

Regards, RAB

i have the same on my hospital case 14x12, omf no board, 3" insulation 460x460 block, no other vents


quite a few feeding on fondant but a similar number fanning, now this one was definitely light as they would not feed with 8 weeks of thymol and had a large mite drop, i assume they are regulating the temperature but whether moving cold or warm air down i do not know. i assumed it was too hot ( hot air rises, though it could be cold spots in the corner

 

[Springer]

So the insulation stays in, my quiery is with OMF do I need to add some ventilation holes for the summer ? Hives are nationals which I built myself but did not put any holes up top as winter was approaching and not sure how many I needed ?

 

[Finman]

.
Bees need insulation especially when they start brooding in early spring.

Fanning when you open the hive?

That is a bad sign. Often it means that there is no queen inside. They are upset.
Bees are here and there and not a real cluster.

I keep in spring terrarium heaters, When the day temp is +17C bees start to fan extra heat off.

I have a finger size main entrance and solid bottom. Yes UK? We have here 17C day temps too. The night temp is often +7C in spring.

 

[Otleybee]

Thanks finman. I really hope that they are not in trouble as they were my good bees this year. They were very low on stores and I should probably have given them fondant before now.

The queen kept laying into late September so they went into the winter with lots of bees. I fed them a gallon of syrup as insurance, nervous newbie, and they have used it all. The mite count was very low both before and after apiguard.

It was a warm day so I am hoping that they just got a bit hot. They certainly were not in a cluster when I looked in.

 

[drstitson]

a gallon of syrup isn't much to have fed in autumn.

bees on top of frames probably indicates lack of stores.

IMHO more Fondant++ stat.

 

[oliver90owner]

Springer,

with OMF do I need to add some ventilation holes for the summer ?

By all means do that. But make sure you cover them with a piece of wire gauze or similar.

You will then see for yourself. The the bees will either propolise the gauze completely, or very nearly so. Does that answer your question?

Regards, RAB

 

[Finman]

Springer,

with OMF do I need to add some ventilation holes for the summer ?

By all means do that. But make sure you cover them with a piece of wire gauze or similar.

W H Y !!!!!

The whole bottom is open and then you make holes more. WHAT FOOOOR?

Last summer we had 5 weeks temp over 25C.

.

I have hives in places where heat rises in summer to 35C - 40C
Have you more heat there?
.

What is hive in summer? 2 box or 9 box?

I look ventilation need from number of ventilating bees. Ja have 2 cm high entrance wide open in midd summer and 2-3 upper entrances.
Mesh floor ventilation is 20 times more.

Oliver, you have palmtrees in UK but why ventilation so much? And in winter same ventilation?

 

[oliver90owner]

You will then see for yourself.

Finman, with all respect but do you need glasses? Or did you ignore my next sentences? 'Selective' quoting should be beneath your dignity.

I have put the next sentence as the topper to this post. Pleaase feel free to go back and read the rest! You really7 do need to before you make any more exclamations above.

The bees will sort out the ventilatiion IF too much is offered and they are able to rectify the problem. And if they cannot close the holes you have made they will propolise the ventilation in the roof (a very much 'must have') to the detriment of the hive system.

RAB

 

[Somerbees]

Sometimes when they are near the top of the hive this can indiacte that they need feeding

 

[Finman]

[The bees will sort out the ventilatiion IF too much is offered and they are able to rectify the problem. And if they cannot close the holes you have made they will propolise the ventilation in the roof (a very much 'must have') to the detriment of the hive system.

RAB

Once upon a time ...

 

[Arfermo]

I've had -17C in the frost pocket where I am and I have never bothered with insulation and the hives have been fine. So why bother?

 

[oliver90owner]

-17 as a transient is nothing. They will cope, but will eat more stores. Stands to reason as stores is energy. I reckon if they are warmer then they are going to over-winter better. I say think polyhives.

Regards, RAB

 

[Finman]

I've had -17C in the frost pocket where I am and I have never bothered with insulation and the hives have been fine. So why bother?

jep! a good advice.

In Alaska USA they prefer to kill hives before winter than give insulation.

Then they bye new colonies from Australia and make them draw combs with sugar. They really are smart, but reason is that they no not know what to do.

Alaska is at same level as Finland and no one kill here colonies on purpose.

 

[drstitson]

This petty tortuous bickering is getting nowhere.

The UK typically has WET cool winters. The cold snaps of last 2 years have been rather unusual.

I'm sure it is right that hives can survive closed in in crisp cold conditions as experienced in continental europe BUT dank mild UK weather is a different kettle of fish.

 

[Poly Hive]

The last 20 years are the unusual ones, the last two are far more typical.

Saying that one person did such and such with one or two colonies is meaningless. Called generalising from the particular.

I leave insulation on all year to help the bees keep warm/cool as they require.

A warm super helps get the bees up there in spring, a common lament.

PH

 

[drstitson]

the last 20 years may be unusual BUT UK weather is still mild and wet relative to typical continental conditions.