Winter insulation

[marmite]

I have a weak hive which has last years queen and is only on 4/5 frames,will it help if I insulate it this winter?

 

[user 6228]

A nuc with a cover of 50mm kingspan, top and sides. Joints sealed inside and out.

 

[For want of a better word]

I have a weak hive which has last years queen and is only on 4/5 frames,will it help if I insulate it this winter?

YES..... but consider merging with another colony IF your last years queen is failing / and / or never has been prolific?

 

[REDWOOD]

 

[Dishmop]

A nuc with a cover of 50mm kingspan, top and sides. Joints sealed inside and out.

and dont forget underneath.

 

[clv101]

A nuc with a cover of 50mm kingspan, top and sides. Joints sealed inside and out.

How do you rate the thermal properties of the Pains polynuc? I have a small colony, which I'm thinking to try and overwinter in a smaller, well insulated box.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

They use them, with great success, in if anything a slightly cold climate than you. (They ship all their overwinter nucs in them)

 

[user 6228]

How do you rate the thermal properties of the Pains polynuc? I have a small colony, which I'm thinking to try and overwinter in a smaller, well insulated box.

I havent thermal conductance tested them yet.
However we do have two of these. We used them this summer with a top and sides cover of 35mm Reticel/kingspan. as below. Our starting point/norm is the equivalent of 75mm of polystyrene foam.

 

[itma]

How do you rate the thermal properties of the Pains polynuc? I have a small colony, which I'm thinking to try and overwinter in a smaller, well insulated box.

The box is reasonably insulated.
But the roof isn't, and you'll soon be seeing condensation on the clear coversheet ...
A poly eke filled with kingspan sorts it.
And you'll want a way to use a proper feeder with it. Again the eke helps, but you'll be wanting to cut another coverboard - doesn't have to be see-through for feeding!

 

[drstitson]

as above - roof is far too thin. resulting in condensation on the crownboard
i made the following using handy heavy duty ply offcuts and a LS size roofing sheet. 50mm kingspan within. no problems afterwards.

 

[PaulCarroll]

So when is everyone considering applying their insulation. Weather here remains warm and I am keen not to signal winter whilst bees are still very active during this warm weather. I was planning on applying mouseguard and insulation mid October given the climate in the SE. Do others feel that is too early or too late??

 

[Erichalfbee]

Mine is on all the time.
I even have custom made Celotex with rapid feeder cut outs.
No mouseguards as my wooden box has an underfloor entrance and the MB polys don't need them but when I did use them I let the turn in temperature be my guide.

 

[PaulCarroll]

That is interesting, thank you. I will ponder on that as it sounds a positive way forward.

 

[HM Honey]

My hives have insulation on all year round.

 

[madasafish]

My hives have all year round insulation. A comparison showed taking it off in summer reduced growth - we can have cold summer nights often c 10C...

 

[marmite]

YES..... but consider merging with another colony IF your last years queen is failing / and / or never has been prolific?

I only have two hives and the other one is going like a train so merging doesn't seem an option. Re using an insulated nuc,do I transfer brood frames to nuc now or later in season then keep nuc adjacent to existing hive?
Alternatively could I use existing hive and remove unused brood frames and replace frames with kingspad I could always attach kingspan to hardboard or ply to keep bees away from kingspan if necessary. I could insulate top (inside roof) and sides but do I insulate floor or is that going too far?

 

[user 6228]

Add insulation well before winter so that they can change their configuration to suit. Remember you are unlikely to add more insulation than they would have in a tree nest.

 

[itma]

So when is everyone considering applying their insulation. ...

After I realised that year-round insulation was a good thing, I've been buying only poly boxes ...

 

[drstitson]

as above- poly boxes have all year round insulation. so why shouldn't wooden nationals.

 

[user 6228]

as above- poly boxes have all year round insulation. so why shouldn't wooden nationals.

As above - trees have year all round insulation, so why should bees be deprived in wooden nationals