BBKA news still a long way to go.

[user 6228]

October issue BBKA news

Matchsticks yet again on P335 but more worrying a the BBKA Honey survey does not have any entry to capture any indication of hive heat loss. e.g. hive construction material, or ventilation practice

Honey is stored energy and requires energy to gather and even more energy to ripen from nectar.

Heat loss from hive is energy being lost and is directly equivalent to honey being lost and therefore has a direct effect on honey yields. This is not just theory but is borne out by the experience of one of the largest honey farmers in the UK.

 

[Apiarisnt]

...and on p354 an interesting article about using OMFs through the winter, but repeating the "It is damp, not cold, that is the worst enemy of bees in the winter" mantra.

 

[madasafish]

I read the article about not closing up OMFs. I actually tried running two hives in the garden with and without closed OMFs is Spring. Guess which one built up quickest? The one with the closed OMF.

We do ,however, live at 150m with frosts and cold winds in Spring: the comments made were from Anglesey - a maritime climate so less inclined to temperature extremes.

(I would comment that Beekeeping is often driven by local conditions...a factor which tends to often be overlooked by some writers - must be confusing for beginners)

 

[masterBK]

Two hives is hardly a scientific significant sample. I have overwintered 30 double brood National colonies over the past few years half with closed OMF and the other half with open OMF and not noticed any real obvious differences in build up but I did have some mould on the outer beeless combs of some of the closed ones (maybe from the condensation?).

 

[Swarm]

I've done similar with insulated and not insulated. No difference with amounts of stores used, Spring build up, honey yield, etc ...

 

[madasafish]

I've done similar with insulated and not insulated. No difference with amounts of stores used, Spring build up, honey yield, etc ...

You are some 200 miles south of us.. and near the Gulf Stream

 

[user 6228]

You are some 200 miles south of us.. and near the Gulf Stream

The use by swarm or others of the term "insulated" vs "uninsulated"
it still isnt valid parameter to compare anything with. You need to measure that there is actually a significant difference in lumped thermal conductance as "insulated" can result in almost nothing at all.


Apart from which thermal conductance is a volumetric scalar and lumped conductance a scalar and neither is a boolean as implied with the terms "insulated", "not insulated"

its like comparing apples with shakespearean poetry

 

[Quis Custodiet]

I read the article about not closing up OMFs. I actually tried running two hives in the garden with and without closed OMFs is Spring. Guess which one built up quickest? The one with the closed OMF............................................................

That has been my experience too, repeatedly one has seen hives with solid bottom boards/closed or almost closed OMF floors thrive. The effect seems to be even more pronounced in poly hives.

 

[madasafish]

I read the article about not closing up OMFs. I actually tried running two hives in the garden with and without closed OMFs is Spring. Guess which one built up quickest? The one with the closed OMF............................................................

That has been my experience too, repeatedly one has seen hives with solid bottom boards/closed or almost closed OMF floors thrive. The effect seems to be even more pronounced in poly hives.

It may be coincidence - or just luck - that my most productive hive, and the biggest , and the earliest to start bringing in largescale nectar is 2017 - has an insulated solid floor . I am in the process of insulating the floors of the remainder of my hives (OMF or solid).. - all my wooden ones are already cosied.

 

[Quis Custodiet]

I don't think it is coincidence. We have noticed similar with hives equipped with poly floors and over several years. The height of the floor above the ground and the absence of vegetation is also of significance....the hives and their environs dry quickly, stagnant air eliminated and dampness greatly reduced.