Winter Hive Insulation

[gingerbees]

Can anyone suggest things that are safe to insulate my hives inside for the winter?
I have 2 Nationals.
I was hoping to fill the void between the dummy board and edge of hive and also for under the roof.
Is polystyrene packaging ok? Cardboard? Loft Insulation!?
Please let me know what you use.
Thanks

 

[Rosti]

Spaceboard 50mm, brilliant. Just cover it in a couple of bin bags and some duct tape. I spaceboard does 2 x 18" squares, sadly with a fair bit of waste, but it only £5 a sheet. No idea how many internal spacers you'd get from a sheet. R

 

[petersbees]

If you use polystyrene make sure it is protected from the bees. If they get access they turn it to powder

 

[oliver90owner]

Expanded PolyStyrene (EPS) is safe - they make hives with the stuff! Just don't let the bees anywhere near the packaging/insulation grades - they will chew it away.

Not fibrous loft insulation, unless completely sealed in a bag.

Some of my broods have a 25mm sheet of EPS cut to fit the end walls and all have a 25mm thick square over the crownboard. The Dartingtons have a sheet attached on the sides of the cluster area. It happens to be a 50 mm sheet for durability.

It does make a difference - a piece on one side slipped, one winter, and I found the spring brood nest all along the warm side of the hive. Brood on one half of the frame and stores on the other.

This year I am leaving insulation-filled blank frames to replace the outer frames on all the timber Nationals. It will make spring expansion that much easier (remove the dummies and replace with drawn comb).

RAB

 

[madasafish]

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=10647762

is ideal. I use it - easy to cut and fit....

B&Q usually have a special offer on it later on,

 

[Winker]

Thermawrap Loft Insulation its only 14mm thick and is the equivalent to 55mm Polystyrene.

Get It Here


I will be using it above the crown board, there is no reason why you cant put it in between a dummy board and the outside walls.

 

[MrB]

Thermawrap Loft Insulation its only 14mm thick and is the equivalent to 55mm Polystyrene.

Get It Here


I will be using it above the crown board, there is no reason why you cant put it in between a dummy board and the outside walls.

used it last year and will use again this winter!

 

[Easy Beesy]

Can I ask why you would have space between the dummy and the side of your hive? How many frames are your bees on?

 

[region2]

I've got two methods that worked for my 1st winter:
1. celotex insulation cut to fit the top of the roof - it is foil coated and will reflect heat in the summer too.
2. fibre-glass insulation sealed in a black bag laid over the feeder.

R2

 

[itma]

Would this newB be correct in thinking that forum opinion is that an open mesh floor (without tray) provides nice winter ventilation - so that the roof can be insulated with Thermawrap/Kingspan/etc without concern to blocking top ventilation?

 

[aseeryl]

i just use old blankets and towels - they can be fitted into all the corners and keep out the draughts including fitting into variable dead spaces. Did well last winter.

 

[oliver90owner]

itma,

Correct. Well, most of us. You most certainly do not need as much bottom ventilation as a full sized OMF (check out the 'John Harding' floor?) to maintain adequate ventilation and a dry hive (which is the most important characteristic). I think this will be my tenth year with no top ventilation.

Remember, in the depths of winter there will be no wax moth in any detritus at the bottom of the hive - that is only a spring/summer/autumn issue.

Regards, RAB

 

[richardbees]

I agree with Easy Beesy's earlier post here:

"Can I ask why you would have space between the dummy and the side of your hive? How many frames are your bees on?"

....as the best insulation is a packed frame of syrup/honey.

 

[Winker]

I agree with Easy Beesy's earlier post here:

"Can I ask why you would have space between the dummy and the side of your hive? How many frames are your bees on?"

....as the best insulation is a packed frame of syrup/honey.

and when they eat that?

I have a few National boxes that are screwed up with hofmin frames and normal frames with plastic spacers on the end, long story.

This has given me 10 frames on my nationals with enough space for two 6mm ply dummys boards with Thermawrap Loft Insulation in between the wall and the dummy board

 

[m100]

Thermawrap Loft Insulation its only 14mm thick and is the equivalent to 55mm Polystyrene

They might claim that but unless your hives are located outside the International Space Station and thus have the benefit of a perfect vacuum then it is incorrect.

Thin, foil insulation, even with air bubbles in it, doesn't provide anywhere near the performance level claimed for it. Tri-iso-9 (the market leader in thin foil insulation not that long ago) was ripped to shreds and its approval rescinded when the insulation it provides was shown to be almost non existent in the real world.

25mm thick, cheap and crappy polystyrene sheet is a better insulator. Celotex/Kingspan PIR is even better.

 

[peterbees]

I use mesh floors with a glass crown board, and a couple of squares of old carpet on the crown board, all the year round. Full width mouse guard from October, no entrance block.
I winter my hives on brood and a half, plus a super with empty or part-filled frames. No queen excluder until the queen is laying well in spring. I lost two hives out of 24 last winter.
Regards.
Peter McFadden, North Wales.

 

[susbees]

Would this newB be correct in thinking that forum opinion is that an open mesh floor (without tray) provides nice winter ventilation - so that the roof can be insulated with Thermawrap/Kingspan/etc without concern to blocking top ventilation?

Exactly so. The roof space is for feeders or insulation and the porter bee escape holes are blanked off the rest of the time.

I do put an extra box under the floor on any hives that have much exposure to the winter winds (anything with an N in!) to minimise draughts as opposed to air flow.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Can I ask why you would have space between the dummy and the side of your hive? How many frames are your bees on?

Wiser folk than me may refute, but I belive if the hive is packed with bees and stores fine, but if not then you don't want unused space with empty frames as it creates a larger area for the bees to keep warm.

Get/make a divider board (like a dummy board except the full hight/width of the box) and put some kingspan or similar on the outside of it, having covered any bee-edible parts with ductape or similar. Remove any unused frames and replace with this board. Worked well for me last year anyway.