However everything on a farm boils down to energy management.
Insulating beehives for winter.
While it is much more temperate here we still get freezing temps in fact we have a freeze potential in a few days.
Not to mention winter bees are completely different from the bees you see during the spring.
Winter is at the top of that cause of death list.
Truly bees are just fascinating creatures.
It makes perfect sense that either wrapping or foam plate insulating a hive in harsh winters is a good idea particularly up north.
Bees have been getting through winter for thousands of years.
Be sure that your hive is properly ventilated as too much humidity and condensation is dangerous to a colony.
Explore the most advanced bee hive.
So though winter is a tough time for them they ve clearly toughed it out before.
I follow the saying that it s not the cold that kills bees but the damp so i don t use insulation.
I m a strong advocate of making sure the colony has plenty of stores.
In the winter bees create a cluster for warmth.
Styrofoam insulation keeps the heat inside the hive that the bees generate as they keep the cluster warm.
The innovative all round double layer insulation helps keeping the colony warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
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.
Less energy spent on keeping the cluster warm over winter translates into less energy.
Manley were not in favour.
Over winter i use insulation under the hive roof or cover my hives with insulation.
The bee cozy protects your hives from freezing winter temperatures and provides a windbreak for breezy locations.
It is really neat how the hive knows to lay a tougher bee to protect the queen during winter.
When cold weather comes the cluster forms in the center of the two hive bodies.
A bee cozy provides a waterproof breathable layer of insulation around the hive.
Winter isn t new to them but our hives are.
You can do this by insulating beehives for winter.
In colder climates the bees may need some help retaining heat.
Styrofoam winter hive wraps works differently than tar paper as it works to keep the hive warm according to the styrofoam s r value.
Our agricultural practices have altered their environment so much so that s something new to contend with.
January 20 2016 daniel bee diy do it yourself hive hive wrap honeybee honeybees insulate insulation winter 1 comment wrapping the hive for winter is likely not necessary in my region.
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.
However i m in the south atlanta area.
