"Bee bodies insulative effect".  All matter (apart from superconductors) can generate an internal temperature gradient when subject to a temperature difference because nearly all matter has a thermal resistance. If you wish to use  insulation as a term to  distinguish  from  nearly everything, you need to imply a change in this property as something else changes. So colloquially we term insulation for something that increases in thermal resistance i.e. reduces heat flow, when you add more of it or swap it for something else or do something.

Using Stabentheimer 2003 

1)The mantle is bounded by two temperature ~10C outer, ~20 core
2)The mantle produces little or no  thermal energy 
Using Owens & Southwick
3)After formation, in the  clustering process, the cluster shrinks and produces more heat as external temperature declines.

Using 1,2,3, and the  definition of R-Value for insulation it follows that insulation of  the mantle decreases with the clustering process as external  temperature falls.  It is that simple

Stabentheimer in that work was able to conclusively distinguish between bee bodies being passive thermal resistance and active heat generators.

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