Matchsticks yes or no??

[The Drone Ranger]

Indeed. And by hiding behind a pseudonym there's a certain element of "listen but don't argue" going on.

I think it would be healthier to know who is writing, because everyone has their preferences and pet topics. I'm just as guilty of this!

Lol
What's a pseudonym Dan ?
I was surprised to find an innuendo was not an Italian suppository

[Dan]

I was surprised to find an innuendo was not an Italian suppository

Lol - on the same basis an endoscope is perfectly named...

[chris]

I've just visited a colony, where I hadforgotten to put on an entrance reducer, so the entrance was still 2 cm. high and running the whole width of the hive. This being my *propolise everything* colony, they had blocked the entrance, leaving just a 5cm. wide gap at each edge. The hive has a solid wood floor. I am assuming the bees were adjusting the ventilation to their liking, a small gap at each side ?

[Adam]

Back to the original thread - sorry....

The latest issue of the BBKA magazine has again got Mr Penguin writing about matchsticks. Obviously he hasn't got the idea that polyhives have been used on the continent for many years with a non-ventillated and well insulated roof.

Now if we consider that condensation will settle on the coldest surface, it will potentially settle on (the underside of) the crown board which is just 3 mm thick plywood compared to 20 mm timber of the rest of the hive. So is there a fundamental design error in the crown board as is now supplied in that it should be thicker than the walls of the hive to give better insulation and stop condensation forming above the cluster. OR will the crown board be dry directly above the cluster due to the heat it produces and the condensation will develop around the edges of the warmed crown board where its a little cooler, i.e. a circle a few inches diameter?

[susbees]

It's something that I was mulling over yet again as the Beecraft investor-BKA reps (sorry, delegates ) said their piece at the ADM last weekend: that their should be no pseudonyms in the BBKA news. There shouldn't be any hiding behind your opinions. I would dearly like to know who both Mr Penguin - for we assume the writer to be Mr and The Forager are. PMs accepted of course .

My commercials are all wintered with fully open entrances with mouseguards, some have an empty super under the floor to reduce the draughts and rising damp (as in those we haven't built stands for yet!) and all have 100mm Kingspan offcut in the deep roof with an embedded takeaway container with removeable section over and many with polycarb quilts. Apart from OA the lids crown boards will stay firmly on til Spring.

As for the tbh...we have a few I use for bees for mating nucs and cut comb, they have OMF, reduced entrances and roll insulation from B&Q (the subsidised plastic stuff).

Matchsticks? Never

[Neils]

I'm reliably informed that mr penguin is instead Latin for "fat controller".

Agree that the columnists shouldn't be writing under pseudonyms by default. Especially when putting out articles criticising others or dishing out advice for that matter.

[derekm]

Back to the original thread - sorry....

The latest issue of the BBKA magazine has again got Mr Penguin writing about matchsticks. Obviously he hasn't got the idea that polyhives have been used on the continent for many years with a non-ventillated and well insulated roof.

Now if we consider that condensation will settle on the coldest surface, it will potentially settle on (the underside of) the crown board which is just 3 mm thick plywood compared to 20 mm timber of the rest of the hive. So is there a fundamental design error in the crown board as is now supplied in that it should be thicker than the walls of the hive to give better insulation and stop condensation forming above the cluster. OR will the crown board be dry directly above the cluster due to the heat it produces and the condensation will develop around the edges of the warmed crown board where its a little cooler, i.e. a circle a few inches diameter?

I have measured that matchstick under the crown board halves the already poor heat retention of a standard cedar national hive.

[The Drone Ranger]

As we are in the highlands my husband wants to wrap the hive in bubble wrap ( he has a free source). Is he mad?

Yes
Unless you need to post it to a friend

[Bridget]

Goodness Drone Ranger, that post was from 2011. I hope I've learnt a bit since then. Must be bad weather with you too if you are going back that far!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[The Drone Ranger]

LOL!!
Hi Bridget
Nice to hear from you
That's what I get when I click on latest posts
Bad rain at the moment
I was in the shed sorting out Nucleus boxes yesterday but the roof leaks in places so I an hiding indoors
I leave the empty rapid feeder over the hole in the cover board
That way moisture gets up into the feeder condenses on the cone and stays in the feeder rather than dripping back down on the bees
Don't know if its necessary but it doesn't do any harm

You have a bee house now so weather won't be an issue ??