Bee Cozy- the winter hive wraps

[leechmann]

Has anyone tried the bee Cozy. It looks like the real deal. They look easy to put on and take off. They look like they would be effective. The only kicker is the cost, but if they work good, the cost isn't so bad either. The people who make them live up in Canada. Does anyone have experience with these.

Thanks, Leechmann

[leechmann]

I was watching the videos of the Bee Cozy hive wraps on you tube. The fella that invented them is from Ontario Canada. I really would like to talk to someone thats used these before. I was also intrieged with the inner covers, the guy uses. He has an upper vent hole but it's not in the side wall of the hive box, but rather it goes through the inner cover and out through a block of wood on the top side of the inner cover.  Kind of neat. If you have time, take a look and see what you think. Youtube Bee Cozy  

[Grid]

I use the bee cozy.  I am also in Ontario Canada.  I am a hobbiest with around 6 hives.  Not sure how they would scale for commercial beekeeping.  I suspect they would do well.  So far I like them very much.  I also use the All Season inner Cover: http://www.honeyrunapiaries.com/store/all-season-inner-cover-frame-p-266.html

My bees do well through our winters.  While it is impossible to keep them completely warm with a top vent, the bee cozy helps keep them warmer than without, and the black absorbs heat on sunny days.  This means less food consumed, and the bees stay dry, as moisture does not condense on the underside of the inner cover, and vents out the front on top.  Also, having the top entrance means I worry less about them getting snowed in, which happens sometimes with only the lower entrance.

Grid

[leechmann]

Thanks for the reply Grid. What type of bees do you have?

[Grid]

I have a mix, going for genetic diversity, most of them from local stock.

- Feral
- Buckfast (kind of local, same province as me, Ferguson Apiaries)
- Italian (from Hawaii)
- Ontario (local breeder, Phil LaFlamme, called the Ontario Bee)
- Russian (Local Breeder, Francois Petit, Pilgrim Honey House)
- Manitoba (got from a beekeeper there this summer - very nice queen, nice bees).

Grid.

[ONTARIO BEEKEEPER]

   My opinion on the bee cozys;

  I am open minded, so I am trying 20 of them this winter.  This is kind of against my beliefs for wintering bees.  I have always believed that insulation ( except above the cluster) is not the idea..... but rather tar paper on a warmer day could absorb heat and help warm the hive so bees can move around.  To me it seems that the insulation in the cozys would prevent the suns heat from warming the hive up. 
Using these 20 cozys,  I found that they covered the upper entrance I use, which meant if I wanted I would have to cut a hole in the cozy for proper ventilation. 
I'll report if all the cozied bees make the winter.

[Finski]

   My opinion on the bee cozys;

  To me it seems that the insulation in the cozys would prevent the suns heat from warming the hive up.

Have you cold inside you clothes?

Sun warms only some hours if it shine. Bees wintering does not depend on sun heating. Bees produce the heat they need. Insulation hinders heat escaping. Night is cold.

Using these 20 cozys,  I found that they covered the upper entrance I use, which meant if I wanted I would have to cut a hole in the cozy for proper ventilation.  

It is needed, but if you have a mesh floor, upper entrance is not neeed. But bees like to use upper entrance to cleansing flight. It is short way to warm cluster.


When we have insultated hives, we do not need any wrappings. However many beekeepers do that because it is their habit from dad to son. I use geotextile to protect the entrances from wind, birds and snow

[garys520]

I've been using the bee cozy for about 3 years now and love them.  I use a long galvanized sheet rock screw a couple of inches above the bottom entrance and fold back the material on top so my hive gets the proper ventilation.   It takes about two minutes to put on the hive. 

[Finski]

.
Seems handy

 

Bee Cozy winter beehive wrap

[mathew]

I use Bee Cozy too. I love them! So easy to put on and store. During warm days the hive does get pretty warm. You should not have too much space from the cozy to your hive wall otherwise you waste the radiated heat from the sun. I manage the hive openings exactly the same way as garys520. This is my 2nd winter using it.