On Thu, 4 May 1995, Eric Abell wrote: > There appear to be not only a great many beekeepers on this list but a > log of beekeepers with a great deal of knowledge so I am going to share > some science :) with you. > > I am in Northern Alberta, Canada with winter temeperatures reaching -40 > deg. C. All of my colonies are 4 to a pallet facing East and West. My > practice is to wrap for winter with R20 insulation on top and R12 > insulation on the sides. > > I have wondered if more top insulation would be better so I selected 4 > yards at random. All were in two rows. I then placed twice as much > insultion (R40) on one of the rows. > > Yesterday we finished unwrapping and here are the results. > > Yard Position Fall weak on opening Alive % loss > Thereux N* 24 2 19 20.8 > S 16 3 26 0 > Total 40 5 35 12.5 > > Slough E 20 2 17 15 > W* 16 5 13 18.8 > Total 36 7 30 16.7 > > Sakiew E* 20 4 8 60 > W 18 5 11 38.9 > Total 38 9 19 50 > > Schafer N* 20 6 12 40 > S 24 3 20 16.7 > Total 44 9 32 27.3 > > * - those with double insulation > > I am amazed at the results. My conclusion is that less insulation is > better. If that is the case would no insulation be the best? Perhaps I > should look into making some wire mesh boxes and winter in those? > > You should be aware that this was a carefully controlled experiement with > all hives matched according to strength, feed, age of queen, pollen > supplies, exposure to wind, exposure to mice and skunks, colour of box, > size of entrance, time of day, colour of the sky and everything else I > can think of. P.S. If you believe this send me a cheque and I will sell > you a bridge. > > The random method selection was used. I simply selected one side and > doubled up the insulation. Perhaps I picked the wrong side. > > Any ideas? > > Eric Abell email: [log in to unmask] > Gibbons, AB, T0A 1N0 > Canada > (403) 998 3143 > Eric... Do you think the moisture levels in the hive may be the problem? Two of the hives we lost this winter appeared to be extremely wet. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Keith Murray * Don't worry about people stealing St.Mary's Academy * an idea. If it's original, you 550 Wellington cres. * will have to ram it down their Winnipeg, Manitoba * throats. -H. Aiken ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~