Bee Sauna

[tycobb]

Had a thought while browsing my spring gardening catalogs...would it be adventageous or disaterous to utilize an electric seedling/root mat on the bottom board, say under a mite screen, to keep the little ladies slightly toasty throughout the winter? I figure it would be easy enough to regulate the temperature range. I use a similar set up with my spare fridge at home, when fermenting my homebrew requires a strict temperature range (yeast dictated). The system turns on the fridge when too warm, turn off when too cold, and if needed, can actually turn on a heating pad similar to above mentioned to control the temp. I'm thinking that if the bees are a few degrees warmer than usual in the winter, then it would be easier to 'uncluster' for food and perhaps get them a head start for the spring - earlier brood build up? Of course this would only be economical on a small scale, but could be useful for those of us that like to tinker. Let me know what you guys and gals think.  PS - Sorry so long... :(

[Finsky]

to utilize an electric seedling/root mat on the bottom board, say under a mite screen, to keep the little ladies slightly

I noticed the mat in Thomson& Morgan seed catalogue and it is extremly expencive. I use electrict heating in spring after cleansing flight. I have water broof terrarium heater cables.

It is sold here "frost quards" which put temp on under +5C. The price is 25$.

[Michael Bush]

I don't know what the cost or the heat output is, but the terrarium heater seems to be the right amount of heat and waterpoofing.  My problem with heat is that someone will unplug it right when it's most needed...

[Finsky]

That is feasible price  43 US $
http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/us/en/product/h3001/1

but this is awfull
In UK catalogue price was something else. 90 UK £  = 177 US $
http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/uk/en/product/kww2047/1

[Robo]

I've been using two 7watt nite lights from the dollar store for a couple of years now.  I do notice a better spring build up.   Just don't get it too warm otherwise they will want to fly when the weather is too cold.  I use X10 to turn it on/off around freezing throughout the winter.

[Jerrymac]

Won't they use more stores if heated all winter?

[mat]

Finsky, why after cleansing flight? You start feeding patties earlier, if I am not wrong. Wouldn't thet be a good time for heating?

[Finsky]

Finsky, why after cleansing flight? You start feeding patties earlier, if I am not wrong. Wouldn't thet be a good time for heating?

Hives are just now under snow and they mus be in peace. They are big hives and they need not heating. Electrict cost is quite big when you use 

100 days x 20 hives * 24 hours * 15W = 720 kWh. The price 10 cent / kWh.

I start patty feeding 1 month after cleansing flight.

[mick]

You can also get heat pads that are used in brewing beer and water bed heaters.

[tycobb]

 I had thought of using the brew pads, but I thought the constant "On" from the cold temp would burn them out, vs a gardening specific heater - but they're probably made in the same factory in China anyways.  Does anyone else have advice as to separating the device from the direct contact with the bees? I am interested about the light bub technique - I imagine bees popping like corn aka Orville Reddenbacher  :-D. As far causing them to eat all of their stores too quickly, I was of the mind that they would need to eat less to stay warm and would actually extend their own stores over the course of a winter. Let me know...

[Finsky]

. As far causing them to eat all of their stores too quickly, I was of the mind that they would need to eat less to stay warm and would actually extend their own stores over the course of a winter. Let me know...

ACTUALLY

If you really want to add bees warm economy, the best you can do is polystyrene hives. They deminish food consumtion  1/3 and give good spring build up.

In your climate the anvanatage of shelter is short. Bees need ventilation the shelter and it is same what heat souce you use. Bees produce so much heat that it try to be too hot in shelter.

If you bees are in 2-box cluster, they manage fine outside.

.