I am using personnally the new AIR BUBBLE MATERIAL Kerry Clark is talking
about.  I used it for the first time last winter.  I packed 50 hives as
singles using it as side insulation.  I used 3 inches of styrofoam as top
insulation.
 
I did this trial on my own, thinking I was the only one on earth trying this
new material for such a purpose.  At the last CHC convention I was surprised
to see a stand of a distributor of this new product promoting its use for
winter packs!  It seems like good ideas always sprout in more than one
single ground!  (I was going to say "fertile ground"!)
 
The results of the 94-95 trial were good despite the fact that the colonies
had been packed as singles.  Only a few week colonies died during the winter
but 5 other populous colonies ended up with drone layers queens wich I
suspect to result from winter stress.  (No more drone layers were found in
my other 450 colonies that had been wintered indoors.)
 
This fall I packed 108 colonies with the same material but as four packs
this time.  I still used the air bubble material as side insulation.  I put
individual pieces of 1 1/2 inche styrofoam on top of each hive and I covered
each 4 pack with a 48" x 40" sheet of the air bubble insulation which I
taped to the sides.
 
The brand name of the material I used is ASTRO FOIL.  Other brands exist.
Its price went down from 0.75$ to 0.45$ can. per square foot within only one
year.  I think the claim for a R value of 12 is exagerated.  ASTRO FOIL
claims a value of 5 or a little over depending whether you use it with an
air space or not.  (These figures have to be verified: I cannot find the
manufacturer's specification.)
 
I think this is a GREAT MATERIAL.  It is extremely light and easy to handle.
It is clean.  It does not absorb humidity.  It is easily installed in the
fall and easily removed in the spring.  I suspect that it could be reused
for many many years.  It takes very little storage space.  At the actual
price of Astro Foil the cost of one four pack wrap is only 16$ can. (plus
the cost of the styrofoam).  Next year I plan to use a double thickness of
Astro Foil as a top (no styrofoam).
 
Kerry, I would like to know who tried it in the Peace river area.  Do you
know?  Or maybe Ken Tuckey is listening and knows about this experiment.
 
 
 
Jean-Pierre Chapleau
eleveur de reines / queen breeder
vice-president du Conseil canadien du miel / Vice-president of the Canadian
Honey Council
1282, rang 8, Saint-Adrien de Ham, Quebec, Canada, J0A 1C0
tel./phone (819) 828-3396; fax (819) 828-0357
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