If you don't insulate the top enough you will get moisture dropping down. And if you have the entrance on the very top you're losing all that top hot air, the heat dome. Depends entirely where you are. On the other hand are really strong hive will never have trouble for the most part dealing with moisture.
Two words: Condensing Hive. Look it up, stop beekeeping like it's the nineteenth century. Beekeeping is about learning and education; folks keep bees (single deeps) in the subarctic with minimal losses using well insulated hives with NO upper ventilation. The science is sound. Happy beekeeping!
Beekeeping is very regional, and also there are several different ways to keep Bees. Single brood chamber is not for everyone, double deeps are not for everyone. If a beekeeper finds a way to keep the bees alive, no matter the method they go about it, what else could you ask for.
There’s no doubt that insulation is the solution. You said that we could insulate out beehives like our houses, but that it can trap to much moisture. If you got moisture problem in our home, then the house has to little insulation. Condensation will form where hot and cold air meets. If you insulate you don’t get any cold air and then no condensation. I need to insulate my hives and I don’t have any moisture problem. The top of the hive is the most critical place. There I use 30cm of insulation, no venting. The bees make a heat-pocket in the upper part of the hive where it won’t condense! 😊
Feral bees do not do well in the US due to many uncontrolled pest and diseases. We've had swarms move in to hallow trees around here, but they never survive winter. However, I've seen them take cleansing flights on warm winter days. Debris/dead sisters fall down further away from the colony in a tree. That's why I like screen bottom boards with an upper entrance for winter.
Good stuff David. I've changed up my winter beekeeping over the last few years. I transitioned to the insulated inner covers and have had success. Wind breaks are a great tool as well. Enjoyed the video.
Just started our season down in NZ dandelions and poppy are in bloom. Chopped mustard crop last week. Bees love the flowers. Had a suit mishap two nights ago gap in suit zipper inspected bees at night had about 25 bees in my mask stinging neck and face. Learning the hard way. Didn't get to sleep until 2
Great video! I use a single deep with a Beesmart insulated top. with a medium on of that. I do feed through the insulate top. I wrap all but the bottom 3rd. I live in Michigan, which gets pretty cold. It's works great though, second season using this method
I noticed that metal, moisture and cold don’t make a good combo. Sort of like Ralphie and the flag pole. I even had bees stuck fast to my metal mouse guard. Just something to consider and maybe why they prefer your top entrance to a cold screen. I love your candy boards, my first year hive made 3 hives after using it last winter. thanks for another great video.
My reasoning is never to use a top entrance .... if the bees are clustering at the top why would they fly ? ...seems contradictory so i just dont do it
Ask 10 beekeepers a bee keeping question and you'll get 20 different answers. I personally have greatly increased my overwintering success since I quit using moisture boxes and upper entrances on my colonies. I've since started placing 1.5" think foam boxes on my colonies (4 sides and top) turning them into Condensing Hives. In conjunction I have increased the number of mite treatments applied throughout the year. I live in Northern Michigan, your results may vary.
I like your methods David. One of the big mistakes I see beekeepers make is having both a wide open bottom entrance as well as a top entrance. Containing Heat is life saving for winter bees. As far as moisture, it’s not ever a problem as long as you can keep the top of the hive well insulated. I insulate both the top and bottom of my hives with a single 2” bottom entrance and rarely loose winter bees. Love the candy board idea.
what if you wrap the N-E-W sides leaving S side unwrapped - then twice the amount of insulation on the top? I use 2" foam boards with bungee cords to keep it on. This is my 3rd winter - no loses so far (knock on wood) - but I think this year I might keep south side foam board off for the sunshine aspect. I only have 3 hives. Plus then I can use my Flir camera to see where the cluster is - before I couldn't due to insulation on all 4 sides.
The Flir cameras are cool to use on bee hives. Any insulation on top goes a long way. That's why decades ago we placed insulation on our Winter-Bee-Kind board.
In my area, we average 100 rainy days and about 26 inches of rain between the middle of October and the end of February. I know a few things about moisture. Langstroth wrote his original book about 1840. When it was republished some years later, an entire chapter where he explains the importance of having 2" minimum wall thickness was omitted.
What if it's really cold?would you wrap them? Last winter we had a hole month straight where it never got above 0 and about 2 months it never got above freezing
IF you insulate the TOP of the hive there is no need for a top vent or moisture absorption. In fact they can both be detrimental. Its all about WHERE the due point is reached.
Here in Vermont our winters have had a rollercoaster effect. Warm one day then cold the next. And it much more damp then I remember. I use solid bottom boards and cover the entrances. I've just started using candy boards and I'm very happy with them. My hives are exposed to the wind so I "wrap" them with 2" blue board and tape the joints. Then for a wind break I fill large trash bags with leaves and place them on the windy sides of the hives. The south facing entrance I only half cover so the bees can fly on warmer days.
Thanks for subscribing. Yes, and my friend William Hesbach, is the God-Father of condensing hives, fellow EAS Master Beekeeper recently was interviewed by Dr. David Peck about this as well. However, my best mentor on this subject is Lorenzo Langstroth. His writing on the subject was absolutely brillant!! There really isn't any new under the sun.
Single hive, first year keeping in Northern Alberta. Decided to build a small shed to move hive into based on moisture concern in winter. Keeping insulation to floor, and quilt box set above 3/8 x 3/8 top entrance. Planning to use candy board as well...nervous and hoping we're doing the right thing. Any experience with putting bees in a shed to winter?
Hi David, I have a vaulted, lid it has 2 entrance circles on each side about 2" in diameter. There is a screen under the lid, so bee's cant get into the hive. Should I consider replacing the vaulted lid with a flat lid or insulate the vaulted lid, cover some or all of the holes for the winter? Thanks! Isaac
Thanks David, we work with lots of moisture here in sw Oregon. Winter is when we get all our rain and heavy fog that lasts for week at a time. Yes a candy board type of moisture absorbing feed does help. Good idea!
Condensation forms where ever warm moisture air meets cold air. I don't use a regular top vent. I have frames that the top bars touch in my 2 by Lazutin hives with mineral wool insulated outer covers. The mineral wool has a wick effect. I use a floor vent/entrance for winter. I wrap and insulate sides. I did loose one hive last year. I think it got drifted over. And no sun in spring. There was still snow around it on Easter. It was partly on a stump so thermal bridging could of been factor too. Didn't have thermal break between stump and hive. Allowing frost to crawl into the hive. My hives are in the central u.p. of Michigan. I also foam board insulation on the sides and have nail boards over insulation for bear armor. Using double deep frames allows bees to move up. I tell people to leave the cross comb between frames on double deeps for winter. It allows bees to move up easier. Making them more like a double deep frame. So bees don't starve with honey frames above them. It's not uncommon to have frost into June and Sept where I am at. We can get 6 feet of snow in a weekend. My hive stands are pretty high off the ground at least 2 feet. Some are 6 feet in quadruped trees with a platform to work the hive.
David we cant all get your winter be kinds, i would love to but like many others i didn't get to them in time before they sold out this year... how do i keep moisture out without it?
I use a top feeder and fill it up with pure sugar. It absorbes moisture and the bees can just feed on it throughout the winter. Bear in mind i've only been beekeeping for a year or so, and my climate doesn't get too cold anyway.
If you’re going to use bales of hay why not cover them with a tarp. This way they will not get soaked and you still have a wind break. Staking and bricks to hold it down. Next year use it as a plant mulch as it will not be moldy or rotting wet.
