> I never sleep before the first bee shift of a series as my brain just
> keeps turning over on the preparations all night. (I suppose in a
> perverse kind of way I get excited.)
 
I found that getting all wound up in my case seemed to be related to
seasonal allergies, that often co-incide with the timing of major
operations beginning.  An antihistamine often knocks me out so I can sleep
in  such cases.
 
> ...noticed that you place small pillows on top of the combs after
> unwrapping, but whilst wrapped they are only covered by an inner cover,
> the rest of the insulation being covered by the wraps, which are thicker
> on top than on the sides. Correct?
 
That's the method we adopted from others years ago and still use for many
hives.  More recent wraps are single piece with the same thickness as the
sides on top too.  I was searching for pictures -- I know I scanned them,
but one of the computers on my network won't respond.  I was going to put
them on the web for you to look at.
 
> With our milder and wetter, but probably longer, winters I am wondering
> about adopting the pillows here as an all winter insulation layer. We
> would use it to cover over the fondant etc in the vacant head space inside
> the empty box on top, much the same way as the bubble wrap I mentioned
> earlier. Are there any complications with using these such as
> condensation?
 
No, we found that sacks mould and that the bees suffered, but under the
plastic the bees thrive, since the plastic does not have much heat inertia
and is impervious to moisture.  We find plastic and wood covers comparable
in wintering success.
 
> Or perhaps bees chewing holes in them.
 
Not if you use high quality true 6 mil (not 6 mil rating) poly.  They can
chew thru garbage bags, but never touch this stuff.
 
>  We would probably choose to remove them after the spring build up was
> well underway and replace them with our normal wooden inner covers.
 
Actually, all year round they are far better than the wooden inner covers
which I hate.  They are non-rigid and can be peeeled back for a peek, do
not accumulate wax , never need scraping, and permit leaving wax buildups
on top of frames.  We seldom scrape ladder comb and now welcome stools on
tops of frames since they loft the pillow enough for the bees to pass
under.  You can read Eric's and my comments on BEE-L over the last several
years since we pioneered the idea  by searching using 'pillow' as a key at
http://www.beekeeping.co.nz/beel.htm.  While you are at it, you might look
at "hive mats". (use the double quotes).
 
My only beef with the pillows is the problem of keeping them in place
while replacing the outer lid on a windy day :(
 
> So, how are they made?
 
We use poly tubing and slice it off in the correct width.  Then we insert
the kodel and iron both sides with waxed paper to prevent sticking.  Maybe
I can get some pictures of the process onto the web shortly.
 
> The insulation material you mention is not, to my limited knowledge of
> such things, available here,
 
Ask at tarpaulin manufacturers who make insulation to protect curing
concrete in winter. Kodel is a poly batting, much like quilt batting only
courser.  Water just runs out of it and mice leave it alone.  Never rots,
either.
 
> so I was wondering about using these easy seal polybags part filled with
> the small polystyrene filler chips we use in packing goods for the
> parcel carriers. We are able to get them just the right size to fit over
> the top of a langstroth hive, and in fairly heavy duty plastic, so if
> these would do it will be a very quick and efficient thing to make up.
> Just open the bag, shove in a scoop of chips, seal it, and a couple of
> staples to prevent the seal coming undone. Perhaps this, however will
> not give the insulation that some fibre based fill inside the bag would
> give, or perhaps thin upholstery foam.
 
Well, I can't say it won't work, but Kodel pillows are flat and don't
bunch up when peeled back.  They are like a sack only much better.  Thin
upholstery foam might be okay, but look for the Kodel or the same material
under another name first.  It is cheap and really good.  I use 1" rating
and Eric like the thinner stuff.  Since adopting pillows, we are moving
toward telescoping lids with a 1" rim around the inside edge to make a
seal and to allow the pillow to loft -- particularly if we are adding
patties.
 
> Another variant on this sometimes used here, not by us because we
> thought it to be a bit labour intensive, is to use 1 inch styrofoam
> sheeting. Then for each colony you need two sheets, one with a fairly
> large round central hole in it and the other a solid sheet. You place the
> one with the hole down over the cluster, and feed the fondant or whatever
> (sometimes liquid in contact feeders) over the hole. This then seals off
> the hole and the colony is fairly well insulated. An empty box is then
> placed on top and the second solid sheet of styrofoam goes over that,
> followed by inner cover and telescoping roof. (And large rock or bricks,
> as per your most recent post. They do indeed lift off remarkably readily
> if you get a swirling wind.)
 
We've used styrofoam other rigid materials, and just don't like then.
Reasons?  Trouble sealing, rapid deterioration, uncomfortable feel,
bulkiness.  The pillow/quilt concept works really well, and with the right
materials quilts are very durable and effective.
 
> I also notice you use upper entrance holes and that these are continued
> through the winter wraps. We never use upper holes at all, and only if the
> hives become particularly strong in warm spells in summer do we provide
> any kind of upper ventilation at all.
 
This is a practice that makes wrapping a slow job.  We do it because
everyone does it.  We've done without and so have others with good
results, but we are afraid of ice storms following snowfalls that might
plug off the sources of air and also like the bees to be able to get out
in the spring without having to walk down two flights of stairs.
 
Without upper entrances, using doubles to winter means that the strongest
colonies can have lots of entrance activity and the weak ones none.  This
leads to transfer of bees into strong hives from the weak.
 
This is the rationale behind using auger holes: All hives in a yard can
attract bees equally in spring and after reversing, whereas the bees would
be attracted to those hives that were active on the floor.  Besides bees
love -- and orient to -- round holes.
 
> We used to jack up lids etc, but the amount of propolising was terrible,
> even to the extent that, when we had bore holes they would completely
> propolise closed these holes in a few days. We concluded that they did
> not want them and we have not noted any change in wintering or yields
> with or without them. Your cicumstances are obviously very different as
> the colonies in the pictures seem to be using the upper holes at least
> as much as the lower ones. We, however, generally winter all our hives
> in single chambers, whereas you are on double and this will have many
> knock on effects on winter and spring management.
 
Singles are likely the best, but we cannot get enough feed for certain
success and still have room for the bees in one standard.  That's why I'd
love to go to Jumbos. Doubles are a whole different ball game compared to
singles.  Jumbos come in between.
 
> As you can gather I am going to try a couple of apiaries with something
> like your pillows in place this winter and see if it makes much
> difference...
 
I'll try to get some pictures up on the net ASAP.
 
Allen
 
BTW, I'm CCing Eric and also BEE-L again, so that others can share in this
discussion.