unusual winter insulation solution

[Zoot]

I visited a former head of our local beekeepers association this afternoon and observed an interesting structure this gentleman had made as an experiment to protect several of his hives from the more severe cold. It was simply a smaller version of a run-in shed built to house 4 hives (out of a total of about 60). It faces south, is very tight and sound and has full sun shining on it and in it all day (when it's not cloudy). He built it last year and noted that the hive temp in the shed during the day was frequently as much as 20 degrees warmer than the outside temp.

[Brian D. Bray]

Building bee houses can work for the hobbiest if they have the necessary space.  It is pretty much out of the question for a commercial beekeeper who trucks his bees interstate for pollenation and honey production.  Storing a hundred, let alone 1000, hives inside buildings is expensive and labor intensive.
 
With the bees hives from Carnica not all the frames from the super are removed at the same time for processing--usually only 2 to 5 from several hives at a time. Traditionally the honey was harvested in segments over the spring and summer and sold/traded locally.

[Zoot]

This man actually straddles both worlds; he keeps hives at 2 large orchards with maybe 600 or so hives at his peak. He's now down to about 60 and is working with several people over at Beltsville on projects dealing with pest control. He's documenting a number of experimental senarios like the one with the hives in the shed.

[Zoot]

I just saw some photos posted by Mici on the thread that Tito started on garage beekeeping. Amazing...several of them were identical to the one my neighbor has constructed. Perhaps he has the same book.