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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Allen Dick <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:06:46 -0400
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> I don't find that the outside temp makes much difference, in the range from freezing to 90F.  The incubators hold constant (you can buy an inexpensive electronic high/low thermo/humidistat.

That is true if the design is correct and the heat inertia of the element, thermostat and other factors are correctly matched.   Seeing as we are talking *design* here, and these things are not determined in every case at this point, that is something to be aware of.

Also, you say, "much difference".  What do you consider "much difference"?  Maybe I'm overdioing it, but I consider a half-degree to be a significant difference. 

Material I read years ago when I researched this seemed to indicate that bee hive regulation is better than most single-chamber incubators and comparable to good double-chamber units.  The bees' natural temperatures and regulation was my model and I measured hives then tried to duplicate the conditions as closely as I could.  I even worried whether contact with bees while pupating was of some significance.

Seeing as you may already be running several degrees off the normal in-hive queen cell temperature, maybe a degree or two is not "much difference".  I'd be curious what you acytually did measure in the way of fluctuation in your unit.

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