I use top insulation (R-20) and side/bottom insulation (R-10) during the winter.
My insulation is rigid foam made into a box that can be removed, but the foam under the screened bottom board stays put. Expecting a La Nina winter this year I added an insurance measure. Sliding out the inspection tray, I replaced it with a seed starting heating mat on a thermostat set to 32 degrees F. which was close to the average winter temperature during the warm winter we had in 2023-24. I had 100 percent survival that winter, so I thought it might help the colony out in fluctuating or brutally cold conditions. (we've had -18 and colder here in MN).
To elaborate: the thermostat only calls for heat when the tray area is below freezing.
At last inspection Jan. 16 when it was 38 F, I saw activity in all 10 hives plus the observation hive. I use plexy inner covers in winter for inspections. The fondant consumption was normal, similar to other years and the undertakers are hauling out a normal number of corpses.
This is an experiment to see if I can keep survival at 100 pct. regardless the type of winter. This requires very little electricity, far cheaper than colony replacement, so why not test this out ?
Has anyone else tried something similar and how did that go ?
What insulation values, sheltering (or heating systems) work for you ?
My insulation is rigid foam made into a box that can be removed, but the foam under the screened bottom board stays put. Expecting a La Nina winter this year I added an insurance measure. Sliding out the inspection tray, I replaced it with a seed starting heating mat on a thermostat set to 32 degrees F. which was close to the average winter temperature during the warm winter we had in 2023-24. I had 100 percent survival that winter, so I thought it might help the colony out in fluctuating or brutally cold conditions. (we've had -18 and colder here in MN).
To elaborate: the thermostat only calls for heat when the tray area is below freezing.
At last inspection Jan. 16 when it was 38 F, I saw activity in all 10 hives plus the observation hive. I use plexy inner covers in winter for inspections. The fondant consumption was normal, similar to other years and the undertakers are hauling out a normal number of corpses.
This is an experiment to see if I can keep survival at 100 pct. regardless the type of winter. This requires very little electricity, far cheaper than colony replacement, so why not test this out ?
Has anyone else tried something similar and how did that go ?
What insulation values, sheltering (or heating systems) work for you ?
