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Insulating hives in cold

Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 6:25 pm
by beeramm
I just registered today and have been looking through the site trying to find some answers to various questions and i have seen some pics of hives with what looks to be a silver colored insulation wrapped around the hive. I assume this is done to try and help the hive keep warm. If so, how is it installed /attached? How would one know when to put it on and then take it off? I guess I should also state that I am currently in the beeginners course for the first time and have no hives currently. My hives will be in Pelham. I am currently deciding which and how much equipment to use. Thanks for the great info and instruction. I am eager to get some hives started on my farm.

Re: Insulating hives in cold

Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 6:40 pm
by Jacobs
Most people in this area do not wrap hives. It doesn't get that cold around here. I have never wrapped any of my hives and on some that have screened bottom boards, I have over wintered bees with no plastic sheet closing up the bottom screen and the bees made it through just fine.

Re: Insulating hives in cold

Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2013 11:09 am
by pholcomb
I'm the newbee who's posting pictures of wrapped hives and confusing everyone. I started 2 packages last spring so this is my first winter keeping bees.

As Rob said, most people around here don't wrap hives. I opted to do it mostly because I have only two hives and I'm obsessed and I like to experiment.

Although burning through the stores of capped sugar water/honey is a serious problem, I was really more concerned about reducing the amount of condensation within the hive. Experienced beekeepers will tell you that is really the biggest problem with overwintering bees.

Wrapping a hive could potentially increase the amount of condensation if you wrap it in such a way that is not allowed to breath. I chose to use Tekfoil (available at Lowes or from Farmtek) and I just stapled it loosely to the hive so that there is a layer of trapped air between the hive and the insulation. With small staples it pulls out easily, so it shouldn't damage the hive body.

I also opted to put a wintering inner cover just under the outer cover, and beneath the inner cover I put a regular inner cover, and beneath that I put my hive top feeder (full of granulated sugar - not sugar water of course!) The feeder sits on top of the 4th medium hive body. Pretty weird. Obviously, I made this up. I'm not aware of anyone else doing this.

Here is a link to a wintering inner cover:
http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/8- ... fo/W254IC/

Condensation is likely to be worst at the top of the hive - rather than the sides, as warm moist air produced by the cluster rises and then condenses to form droplets when it meets a cold inner cover.

With my set-up, I'm mainly worried about condensation forming at the bottom of the hive-top feeder and then dropping onto the cluster. I'm hoping that the multiple inner covers will reduce this abrupt temperature transition and thereby reduce the amount of condensation that forms at the bottom of feeder. The sugar also acts as a dessicant, stabilizing the moisture level inside the hive.

Ultimately, the issue is one of ventilation versus insulation, much the same as with our human homes. I don't think anyone has really figured this out (for hives or houses either one!)

I suspect that when I get 10 or more hives I will abandon the wrapping, simply because it is expensive and time-consuming.

On the plus side, I'm guessing that the insulation has slowed down the rate that the bees burn through their winter stores. Although both of my hives are strong and active, judging by Rob's hive tipping test, both of my hives are still very heavy. I'm not worried about them starving at this point. Come to think of it, reducing the burn rate on the honey stored in the hive will reduce the amount of moisture produced by the cluster, potentially aiding the cause of reducing condensation. I didn't think about that when I started wrapping. Hey, maybe insulating is a win-win situation!

Finally, I'd emphasize that I didn't take any honey this year. I wanted to make sure that my bees had plenty of food going into their first winter. And listen to the old pros, I'm just experimenting and making this stuff up. It's fun.

Paul

Re: Insulating hives in cold

Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2013 12:02 pm
by Jacobs
Image

My ventilation scheme is a little less involved. I bought a piece of dowel that was large enough to lift the outer cover off of the inner cover, but not large enough to admit bees. This allows some air flow in the hive. Whether I use solid bottom boards or screened ones, I want enough of a tilt to the hive that if there is a collection of condensation, it will flow down the inner cover toward the front opening on the inner cover.

Re: Insulating hives in cold

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 7:18 pm
by beeramm
pholcomb - let me know how the insulation idea works out for you. I think in part, that is what seems so interesting about beekeeping to me, it is not all set in stone and innovation is up to the individual beekeeps.