Double Walled Insulated Hive

[beeman2009]

Anyone thought about this? I think it might be helpful especially to beekeepers in colder climates. What do you think; would it work?

[Variable]

Langstroth was originally double walled.  (If I have read his writing properly). I am just finishing up building 2 hives, both are double walled 3/4 inch cedar with a layer of Aerogel blanket in the middle. I am putting a fan in the quilt box for when we get very hot weather for a week or two to help reduce bearding (I think I want them out gathering and not fanning the front entrance) and a heater built into the bottom board for those few weeks of very cold winter (I want them to be able to get to their stores and not starve). It is all driven by an Arduino with an SD card and Ethernet shield (to log temp, humidity inside and out, barometric pressure, light and the condition of the heater and fan ) and an LCD screen to display it all on the hive. It has a webpage to modify all the temp, logging, and Ethernet settings. It also uploads to my web server and puts the data in an SQL database. It will send emails when certain conditions are met, like hive is too hot or too cold or the SD card fails to write.... etc.  I have also put a temp sensor IN the outside wall of the quilt box to determine solar gain and may setup the Arduino to turn on the heater to match the outside wall temp up to a some temp (maybe 80 degrees or something.... still thinking about it).... Basically I am trying to build the cambium of a tree into a beehive and log all the data to make some cool graphs.... now if I could only get a hive scale (hacked bathroom scale) to be more accurate and stop creeping with the weight of the hive on it I may have something cool here!! I have removed the scale for now as it needs more work.....

I will be posting my hive build and Arduino setup once I am done.... I will even make the Arduino code downloadable and draw up a schematic. I am taking a short break from working on it while it rains a few inches today... I wish I had a place indoors to do the woodworking so I do not have to stop when it is raining... (I live in western Washington.... it is always raining!!!) I have less than 4 weeks left to get it done before the bees arrive..... aaaahhhhhhhhhh

[RHBee]

Anyone thought about this? I think it might be helpful especially to beekeepers in colder climates. What do you think; would it work?

I've knocked the idea around for a while. This would be a special hive for small clusters to winter in. Really would be a PITA to build. Or, if you have only a couple of colonies and want to attempt to replicate the conditions found inside an oak tree just for the challenge of it.

[oliver]

I build all of mine double wall, with insulated cover with adjustable vents, dl

[Variable]

RHBee "Really would be a PITA to build."

Yes! Yes it is!!!

It would not be too bad if I had built the double walls differently. Basically I built a standard box and then wrapped the top and bottom outside edge with 1/2 X 3/4 trim ("fir out" I think it is called) then wrapped the insulation around the entire box within the gap then built another box around it. The outer box was the hardest because there could be no gaps in either the finger joints or between the boxes.... Had to be a perfect fit. It was hard to get the glue on fast enough on all the surfaces and clamped together before it started to dry.... If I do this again I would build each wall as a panel with the insulation inside and then connect each panel. This would cause the insulation to stop before each corner but would make assembly much easier... Something I have been thinking about if I build another set of hives this way.
Heck, I am a beginner (do not even have bees yet) and did it this way while I still know everything about beekeeping... lol

[capt44]

A cluster of honeybees heat just the cluster not the whole hive.
If you insulate the hive when warm weather comes around it can have the opposite affect and not letting the hive heat up.
Ventilation is the key.
Keep the moisture down.

[RHBee]

A cluster of honeybees heat just the cluster not the whole hive.
If you insulate the hive when warm weather comes around it can have the opposite affect and not letting the hive heat up.
Ventilation is the key.
Keep the moisture down.

Dry and cold works only as long as the cluster is large enough.  At least that's what I've read. Anyway, I live in a pretty warm area of the country. I really don't have to worry much about cold.

[Bush_84]

Nobody in this topic live in an area where you should worry about cold IMO.  I'm dabbling in poly nucs first before I do any of this. 

[RHBee]

Nobody in this topic live in an area where you should worry about cold IMO.  I'm dabbling in poly nucs first before I do any of this. 

Your right. Nothing like what you experience. We're just knocking the subject around. As I said, I would consider this only for housing a very small cluster in winter.

[Michael Bush]

It is called the WBC hive.  It is very heavy and very expensive...

[jayj200]

I think it is so cool. Thinkin of the girls.

your in washington state? It is cold up there!

its not here in fl.

I am thinking one should try your way and just 3/4' foam then 1" foam then 2" all around.

all these tests to run concurrently. watch the $$$$

please do not forget ventilation.

in all cases the top insulation can be removed for the spring and summer

this would be an intersting study!

could I help i know I am far away

I for one like your thoughts and designs


jay

[Variable]

Jay,
Yes I am in Washington. Cold is relative... you are in Florida and I hear it is *never* cold there...
I am in Western Washington right up against the foothills of the Cascade range. It gets in the single digits during a normal winter and we get a few days in the summer in the tripple digits but most of the time it is just raining at 55 degrees. Our weather is funny that way. Yesterday was in the low 70s and sunny (about 73 I think) and today it is in the mid 40s and raining.

Ventilation will be provided via a top and bottom entrance and a vented quilt box/feeder (The Arduino and power supply live in the quilt box alone with most of the sensors)

If I had more time and money I would have built several boxes all a little different to see what is "best"... but I have run out of time..... The bees should be on the way in the next two weeks or so and I still have not put a finish on the hives or finished assembly of the Arduino (It is still on a bread board)....

I will post my build and then post some temp updates as I see fit (probably once a month).
Good luck to all this spring! May the nectar flow like a river.......

[jayj200]

almost never below 32 degrees and then for one or two days max.
boca ratone fl
jay