Derekm's Hive

[edward]

yea yea ---but how do they move bees if the sun always shines??? RDY-B

You could do it on a rainy day.

mvh edward 

[edward]

yea yea ---but how do they move bees if the sun always shines??? RDY-B

I asked my colleagues this question .
how Bees behave in the north when it is light 24 hours a day?Do they rest or is it full speed all the time and if so, how does it affect the Bees and harvest.?

"The bees in the north are controlled by the temperature more than the light, if it gets a little cool in the evening they go home.
But it may be that they draw virtually around the clock when it's warm nights, and it is wonderful.

What's more in the north there is a much more diverse flora than in the south, so there are always plants from early spring to late autumn."

"they fly as long as it's hot and there's something in it .... During the raspberries flow they fly 22 of 24 hours a really impressive sight ..."
"Which should mean that sugars are higher in plants in the north compared to the south of Sweden."

mvh edward 

[derekm]

I own some of those, kept bees in them over winter and and have performed thermal measurements on them.

So Derek, how did those Finnish hives compare to your homemade super hive in your thermal measurements?

Does their polystyrene have a tough enough surface to prevent wax moths and ants from boring through them?

I kind of like the idea of an open screen on the bottom in the winter IF I had snow is piled up around the bottom protecting it from drafts.  I did have 1 nuc die off last week that had an open screen bottom and no snow protection.

My hives are substantially better, I hope to publish the figures in paper soon.

[BlueBee]

Be sure to let us know where to find your paper when you get in published!   It sounds like it will be very interesting.  I checked my various designs again today and based upon my crude measurements and visual observations, your “heat bubble” concept/design is much warmer than the other designs I’m experimenting with.  Our average temp has been below 0C for some time now and most of the hives have well defined clusters at this point; except for the heat bubble ones.  They really aren’t in cluster yet IF they are insulated well enough (38mm) and IF the volume of the hive isn’t bigger than the bees. 

The only real concern I see at this point is condensation.  I may try to post some photos later tonight if time permits.  There isn’t a drop of condensation on my hives with a small top entrance whereas there is very noticeable condensation in the heat bubble designs.  The bees don’t appear to be licking it up either, but I’m not watching them 24-7. 

[Finski]

yea yea ---but how do they move bees if the sun always shines??? RDY-B

I asked my colleagues this question .
how Bees behave in the north when it is light 24 hours a day?Do they rest or is it full speed all the time and if so, how does it affect the Bees and harvest.?

"The bees in the north are controlled by the temperature more than the light, if it gets a little cool in the evening they go home.
But it may be that they draw virtually around the clock when it's warm nights, and it is wonderful.

What's more in the north there is a much more diverse flora than in the south, so there are always plants from early spring to late autumn."

"they fly as long as it's hot and there's something in it .... During the raspberries flow they fly 22 of 24 hours a really impressive sight ..."
"Which should mean that sugars are higher in plants in the north compared to the south of Sweden."

mvh edward  

It depends how you read the text of Edward.

I phoned to a beekeeper on Arctic Circle and he said that bee may fly 24 hours in a day but it is extremely rare.
Last summer was so cold that hives did not get Honey at all. They stopped brooding.

My brother kept hives 20 years in Sweden Piteå. The North is not a paradise to bees.

Here is some or our beekeepers on map. The most south point is 60 degree latitude and the north most is on Polar Circle 66 degree.


http://www.hunajantuottajat.fi/


Vegetation is not more diverge in North. It is sure. I do not blame guys behind the back of God , if even strawberries there produce honey.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

One psychiatrist told in TV that in Lapplan North folks are such that they overstate their sayings, and if someone gets a 2 meter long pike (fish) , let it be and don't go to measure it.

"fly 22 of 24 hours a really impressive sight"  I wonder why, but life in north is not easy.

.

[derekm]

nice and warm

[BlueBee]

Hmmmm….. I thought somebody said it doesn’t get cold in the UK….

Are those 2 hives on the left side of the photo the commercial hives from Finland?  I gotta say, that looks like more volume than I would want to winter in with 40mm thick poly hives.  I think your hive is a more appropriate volume.

[derekm]

Hmmmm….. I thought somebody said it doesn’t get cold in the UK….

Are those 2 hives on the left side of the photo the commercial hives from Finland?  I gotta say, that looks like more volume than I would want to winter in with 40mm thick poly hives.  I think your hive is a more appropriate volume.

no they are my hives (earlier revs) with supers and feed ekes (shims).  I'm not worried about brood in the super.  remember british nationals so not that big.

[BlueBee]

Looks like some nice hoar frost.  We get some beautiful photos of it here a few times each winter.

I winter my big hives in single poly boxes now instead of multiple stories.  I just don’t see the need for multiple stories since they do great in singles.  I do have some double decker nucs this winter, but I’m now leery of that design even for nucs. 

Are any of your hives instrumented this winter?  If so, what type of system do you have?