Get the message

[user 6228]

If as masterBK has suggested "when you insulate them will they brood more and for longer during winter and if so will they then eat more stores? "
then the situation may not be quite as simple as you suggest.

I am definitely not saying that insulation is a bad idea. I am not in either camp. I am not suffering from "massive group think, based on lore and misunderstood research". In fact I think the arguments for improving insulation are pretty persuasive. Given the strong views there are on the subject its just surprising that the research EVIDENCE for it doesnt seem so easy to find. And I mean evidence rather than shouted anecdote.

the brood more is not factor while the bees are largely confined (conservation of energy)
you cant hide the enthalpy of kg s of sucrose in the enthalpy of realistic brood quantities (energy locked up in 40,000 bees = 1 kg sucrose rest of energy used in making bees is lost as heat but that causes a credit in heating account)

research difficult to find yes been looking for years
The VillumStad Paper is the best out there for yea or nay. The other biological researches I have found are much worse. like no measurements of conductivity, no extensive range of insulation, top vents...

The norm and range for insulation had not been researched until recently and that is still waiting on review to be published ( six months now)

 

[MerryBee]

"The VillumStad Paper is the best out there for yea or nay. The other biological researches I have found are much worse. like no measurements of conductivity, no extensive range of insulation, top vents..."
Thats a pretty sad state of affairs.

"The norm and range for insulation had not been researched until recently and that is still waiting on review to be published ( six months now) "
That will make very interesting reading and long overdue I would have thought.

 

[user 6228]

"The VillumStad Paper is the best out there for yea or nay. The other biological researches I have found are much worse. like no measurements of conductivity, no extensive range of insulation, top vents..."
Thats a pretty sad state of affairs.

"The norm and range for insulation had not been researched until recently and that is still waiting on review to be published ( six months now) "
That will make very interesting reading and long overdue I would have thought.

you can hear a presentation based on that paper in winchester on the 14th

 

[wessexmario]

...
I am definitely not saying that insulation is a bad idea. I am not suffering from "massive group think, based on lore and misunderstood research". I haven't been a beekeeper long enough to be in either camp . In fact I think the arguments for improving insulation are pretty persuasive. Given the strong views there are on the subject its just surprising that the research EVIDENCE for it doesnt seem so easy to find. And I mean evidence rather than shouted anecdote.

That's exactly the reason for not assuming that the status quo is correct.
The reasons for doing things "how it's always been done" may no longer be the critical factors.

 

[Dishmop]

Simple really.
If you heat water and leave it to stand in a mug, eventually it goes cold.

If you leave it in an insulated mug it retains its heat longer.

Whatever you do, both mugs of water will lose heat.

 

[Elaine]

Simple really.
If you heat water and leave it to stand in a mug, eventually it goes cold.

If you leave it in an insulated mug it retains its heat longer.

Whatever you do, both mugs of water will lose heat.

Yes - and the amount of energy you would need to apply to keep the contents at a given temp. will be less in the insulated mug

 

[REDWOOD]

Nobody care to mention isolation starvation in non insulated hives ?