Insulating Beehives For Winter

Not to mention winter bees are completely different from the bees you see during the spring.

Insulating beehives for winter.

I m a strong advocate of making sure the colony has plenty of stores. It is really neat how the hive knows to lay a tougher bee to protect the queen during winter. Winter isn t new to them but our hives are. Our agricultural practices have altered their environment so much so that s something new to contend with.

However everything on a farm boils down to energy management. I follow the saying that it s not the cold that kills bees but the damp so i don t use insulation. In the winter bees create a cluster for warmth. While it is much more temperate here we still get freezing temps in fact we have a freeze potential in a few days.

Explore the most advanced bee hive. A bee cozy provides a waterproof breathable layer of insulation around the hive. I know that brother adam and r o b. Winter is at the top of that cause of death list.

These easy to use slip on slip off uv treated polypropylene wraps contain environmentally friendly r8 fiberglass just the insulating layer your bees need to winter successfully. Let s get something straight though before we dive into winterize hives. Styrofoam winter hive wraps works differently than tar paper as it works to keep the hive warm according to the styrofoam s r value. You can do this by insulating beehives for winter.

When cold weather comes the cluster forms in the center of the two hive bodies. Less energy spent on keeping the cluster warm over winter translates into less energy. Bees have been getting through winter for thousands of years. The bee cozy protects your hives from freezing winter temperatures and provides a windbreak for breezy locations.

Be sure that your hive is properly ventilated as too much humidity and condensation is dangerous to a colony. However i m in the south atlanta area. A special filling material used in the top cover and side walls of thermo hives provides thermal insulation offering a suitable habitat for the colony in different climate conditions. Over winter i use insulation under the hive roof or cover my hives with insulation.

So though winter is a tough time for them they ve clearly toughed it out before. Manley were not in favour. It covers the top bars of the frames in the lower chamber and extends over and beyond the bottom bars of the frames in the food chamber. The innovative all round double layer insulation helps keeping the colony warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

In colder climates the bees may need some help retaining heat. The winter cluster starts in the brood chamber when ambient temperatures reach 54 to 57 degrees f. It makes perfect sense that either wrapping or foam plate insulating a hive in harsh winters is a good idea particularly up north.