I attended an interesting lecture last night hosted by Bedfordshire BKA (in UK), presented by Derek and Elaine Mitchell. Derek is a physicist and Elaine a beekeeper. Derek has and is doing research into the role played by the thermal properties of hives in the ability of bees to maintain optimal temperature and humidity in the nest. His conclusion is that hives need to have much higher insulation during both summer and winter and that this results in healthier and more productive colonies. We all know that polystyrene hives have much lower thermal conductance. He quotes a UK bee farmer who has 1000 wooden and 1000 poly hives and says he gets 40% more honey from the poly ones. That is dramatic. He also stated that higher temperature reduces incidence of nosema and chalkbrood and higher humidity reduces levels of varroa. Anyone know more on this? 


He has published a paper “Ratios of colony mass to thermal conductance of tree and man-made nest enclosures of Apis mellifera: implications for survival, clustering, humidity regulation and Varroa destructor” in the Journal of Biometeorology. See http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00484-015-1057-z


Unfortunately, one must subscribe to read it. Following is the abstract:


“In the absence of human intervention, the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) usually constructs its nest in a tree within a tall, narrow, thick-walled cavity high above the ground (the enclosure); however, most research and apiculture is conducted in the thin-walled, squat wooden enclosures we know as hives. This experimental research, using various hives and thermal models of trees, has found that the heat transfer rate is approximately four to seven times greater in the hives in common use, compared to a typical tree enclosure in winter configuration. This gives a ratio of colony mass to lumped enclosure thermal conductance (MCR) of less than 0.8 kgW−1 K for wooden hives and greater than 5 kgW−1 K for tree enclosures. This result for tree enclosures implies higher levels of humidity in the nest, increased survival of smaller colonies and lower Varroa destructor breeding success. Many honeybee behaviours previously thought to be intrinsic may only be a coping mechanism for human intervention; for example, at an MCR of above 2 kgW−1 K, clustering in a tree enclosure may be an optional, rare, heat conservation behaviour for established colonies, rather than the compulsory, frequent, life-saving behaviour that is in the hives in common use. The implied improved survival in hives with thermal properties of tree nests may help to solve some of the problems honeybees are currently facing in apiculture.”

 

John


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