DIY Foam Beehive Winter Shelters

[@vinofarm]

THERE IS AN UPDATE TO THIS VIDEO!!! I Changed the design of these shelters. They are much simpler to make and easier to store now... kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4ipg2NjrrGbb9k

[@beth-rg8bm]

Finally someone is actually building a wind shelter... its the most important thing you can do for your hive. You might want to pit a roof of some kind about 6 to 8 inches above your hive! My grandmother use to use hay bales and covered them with plywoid, then she just moved the bales to the compost come spring and replace them with fresh come winter!

[@learnjcbskidsterchickensga7594]

beth98362 R Do you think in northern Illinois a set of insulated windows framed around the hives would be beneficial...to block wind, but let the sun in?

[@carolinebryant4040]

Walls bee man winterizing the hives

[@carolinebryant4040]

Walls beeman winter hives

[@carlospacheco7361]

The foam glues them together and seals the edges, nice!

[@Langton.Katherine]

To be clear this is a fantastic idea, I've done it for my hives this year. One thing though from a physics point of view, putting the foam on only 3 sides will do next to nothing for insulation. Its like building a house and saying you'll insulate 3 walls but the south facing one will be 3/4" plywood because you want the winter sun(which has very little energy) to warm your house up. In order to last through the day and night and make a difference the sun would have to heat the south wood side to 122F...not possible. Great idea just add a forth wall and if you really want to go.for it, a floor. Some tape to seal up roof to sides would be great too. All the best.

[@vinofarm]

Problem with the 4th wall is what people call the "refrigerator effect" where the temperature eventually gets cold on the inside and never warms up on sunny days because the sun won't penetrate the foam. It's a catch 22 situation. I prefer to leave that south side open for the chance of even a slight warm up from the sun. The 3 sided shelter is more of a wind break than anything else. There is heat loss on cold nights, but I'd rather let the bees deal with that by clustering, and then get that little heat during sunny days. Even on cold days, I can touch the front face of the hive and it's quite warm from the sun (when it's sunny!)

[@drrota]

BOOM! Awesome! Been thinking about this for next year! - put some tar paper on the front of your hive (and a 45 deg. angle slope up to it) to add an additional passive solar heater surface. A plastic skirt around a hive stand will do equally well to create a green house affect under the hive too. Well done! ...Don,.,,

[@smokeydops]

it feels like we're closing something that's bee n going on a long time in a very very dramatic fashion i like it

[@mileawayhoney]

spay foam is a great idea dude.Thinking tape on box for better storage

[@strugglingbeekeepermarkcot9642]

Great video I like what you did I am thinking about doing something like that to my hives this winter.

[@julieenslow5915]

"I've never done this before." Seems to be the theme of the entire year!! Well done!

[@Tyler-nj5dr]

Your floors are beautiful.

[@arrrgonot7801]

Couple of tooth picks work well to hold it in place or three inch dry wall screws through the back.

[@brianralph69]

I did this with 1” foam board. Instead of Gluing or screwing it to hives, I got it in place, then used shrink wrap to secure it against wind and movement. I did not insulate the covers, I have glass inner covers and use a telescopic cover over that. The air space in between seems sufficient so far. We have had several weeks of weather below 20, and at least a week near 0 and below.

[@SpencerBrennan001]

Nice Build! I know that foam well. I'd suggest using eye protection & thin disposable gloves with the spray foam as a basic rule of thumb. the canned foam is so casual to use that I often forgo the eye & hand protection and one slip up and its kind of a toxic nasty mess that doesn't come off for a few days. Not the biggest deal, but I hate having that chemical stuck to me when I'm eating or working in the kitchen.

[@vinofarm]

Spencer Brennan I've gone through more than 100 cans of this stuff over the years working on the house, so I know all about it! I'm usually good at avoiding getting this on my hands, but I really made a mess during this build. The trick is to let it fully cure and then scrape it off whatever you get it on. If you try to remove it while it is still wet, the mess is way worse. This goes for skin, too. I should have worn gloves.

[@HeliGav78]

Vino Farm just googled foam house and people have actually built houses out of it 😂😂😂pmsl

[@Duls94]

you are industrious! Just like your bees, maybe that's why it's working out so well for you :-)

[@abdelsadd6714]

Simple &pratique

[@Liendoelcm]

Hi there....Firstly I am not a beekeeper but I hope to start off next year so have been really interested in following your first year beekeeping videos.....This is merely an observation as again I know nothing about bees......In this episode you are surprised as to the lack of activity and storage done by the bees in the lowest brood box and it seems to me that the least amount of storage is on the west and north sides of the hive. Could this possibly be because the north and west sides get less heat from the sun. The north side is self explanatory but the west side might be explained as you have cinder block up against the lowest brood box which may be preventing the heat of the sun through to the west side of the brood box and making it cooler than the rest of that box which the bees are preferring.....Forgive me in case this already been suggested in comments I have missed, or I am totally out to lunch, but it just seemed odd that these areas of brood box seem to be ignored by the bees.....Great to see that you are as to how I will be, when it comes to becoming a new beekeeper, and make mistakes.....Good luck for the future....Neil.

[@vinofarm]

Lien Doelcm Yes that was suggested a few times and I don't have any blocks next to my hives this summer. Who knows why the bees put honey in different spots? Every hive is a bit different. Thanks for watching and best of luck with your beekeeping!

[@husensalam8475]

Hello might it is good job 👏 👍

[@bradgoliphant]

Hello Vino, nice to see you again and great video---, question for you. When heading into winter, and during winter, is the bottom entrance the only entrance you should have open? Also, during winter, when the bees and queen are balled up feeding on frames of honey, will or can they more side to side to the next frames? Thank you so much.

[@ME_MeAndMyBees]

See Fred Dunn's Videos He answers your Questions. Lower Entrance only, prevents Draughts and Condensation. (Bees just Propolis up unecessary entrances !) Bees will Move more in the Up way, than Sideways. * Someone worked out Bees move up in a Hive 1mm a Day through the Winter. So give them Food / Space allowing for How Many Days your Winter lasts for, in mm Eg if your Winter is three months (90 days = 90mm minimum.) Don't know what many mm is in inches, sorry. We are Metric in the UK. 😏 Happy Beekeeping 2021. 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝

[@bradgoliphant]

@@ME_MeAndMyBees This is very helpful. Oh great, my center frames have more than 7 inch of capped honey on them.

[@lukapopovic6668]

Why do you not glue it to the hives as well and make them permanently insulated? Wild bee hives are usually hidden from Sun and weather conditions and in comparison to artificial hives, very well insulated

[@vinofarm]

Because all summer long, hives are taken apart every time they're inspected and all that insulation would be a huge hassle to deal with. Over the winter they just sit there, so wrapping them up and walking away is the best solution.

[@NaturesCadenceFarm]

Just wondering if you ever considered putting the beehives in your greenhouse for the winter? It would keep them out of the wind and snow off of them. They might stay warmer and they could pollinate any winter crops you had growing! Just a thought. Love your vids. Can't wait to see how things go in the spring! Thumbs up to this beehive series!

[@vinofarm]

I did think of that and I've answered it a few times... The bees need to cluster and stay in place for the whole winter. If they were in the hoophouse, they would be experiencing temperature swings every day. The days would be sort of warm, but the nights (with no sun) drop down to whatever the ambient temp is. They would still have cold nights, but they would come out of cluster and fly around every day looking for nectar. (And there wouldn't be any.) Thanks for watching!

[@learnjcbskidsterchickensga7594]

I thought about using spare windows around winter bee hives to let the sun in, but block the wind? Loosely...not in close? Any thoughts..I have some huge windows from habitat for humanity Restore....

[@dalem1974]

I have really enjoyed your channel! I see you made a top cover out of foam. How did you like it and will you use it again? I am thinking of building two for my hives. Thanks for all you do and share with us. Keep it going, I cant wait for this years winter tricks and tips...

[@MohamedUAE]

Hello, do you think this can work for countries where the heat can reach up to 50c=122f? I need recommendations please, as I am thinking at the moment of using concrete to replace what I've of wooden beehives. The summer here is just unbearable. TIA all

[@vinofarm]

I would think these would help if you paint them white for reflection and maybe not make them fit so tight. Leave a small air gap between the hive and the insulation.

[@MohamedUAE]

@@vinofarm Thanks a lot Vino for the reply. well, frankly speaking at the moment i've emailed a friend of mine who is also doing some experiment on building beehives from stone/rock/marble.. just as an experiment, unfortunately he don't speak English, so I thought well there got to be someone out there who tried such idea! I mean stone beehive, thus, i searched and i came a cross guy from SA www.beegin.co.za/ , well I they can make such beehive and the bees love it, as we all know the stone/rocks are warm in the winter, plus moderate in the summer! So, I am not like, well why don't i try this! it might help.. thanks for your suggestions and comments on this.

[@paulblackman3936]

The foam board you are using - does it contain formaldehyde? If its PIR based it will do, kills insects a treat when it gasses off!

[@vinofarm]

There is no formaldehyde in styrofoam.

[@mehmetmehmet8703]

Yapıştırıcının özellik ve markası nedir

[@morningowl43]

Do you have any recommendations for top bar hives?

[@vinofarm]

I have never used top bar hives, but a similar kind of shell could certainly be designed. This material is simple to work with.

[@Agnelum1]

#EasyLifeHack If you have no expanding foam insulation to use for the glue, a can of Cool HWhip does the trick just as well. And a little bonus is it tastes MUCH better than the expanding foam insulation!

[@beth-rg8bm]

I use a 8 ingh metal cake spatula and just sharpen one side.

[@johnsmith-tx3zd]

Hey, bit random but how are you cutting the boards so straight without a rip fence? is it because the foam is so easy and once on the blade it wont go off at an angle. Surely you have to start the cur perfectly straight and yo'd often be out by a degree or two? Thanks

[@vinofarm]

john smith Practice! Snap a line and follow it slowly. Once you get through the diameter of the blade, yes, the blade sort of acts like a guide. It's just years of practicing with wood. The foam is like butter. Easy to make little micro adjustments. Remember, these videos are like 400-800% faster than real life. Be careful!

[@shuiqlazam]

Great video - be careful with foam sheets on table saws - they tend to want to "grab" the blade and pull etc. I just insulated our basement with this stuff. I'm using the rest of it for the hives.

[@morganfrmn]

How did it work leaving the front open. I did all 4 sides.

[@elizabethherschleb7313]

I have come back to watch how you cut your insulation. Can you please do a video on how you set up the saw, what blade you use, how to adjust the blade, and just a whole in-depth how to for the saw and insulation cutting? I’m sure every guy understands what you are doing, but I’m a woman that needs to sneak the use of my husband tools to do this. I want to be safe and use it, clean it up, and make it look like I never touched it. Cutting with a utility knife just isn’t working that great for me. We have the stuff, but my husband isn’t good with sharing. A little help would be appreciated for a woman who just needs a little more instruction than a man.

[@vinofarm]

I purposely didn’t get into this because I do not want to be liable for teaching a beginner how to use one of the most dangerous power tools out there. A table saw is a seriously dangerous tool. If you already know how to safely use one, cutting foam should be pretty straightforward. If you’re asking these kind of questions, I can’t really help you over the internet. I hope I am not coming across as condescending or dismissive. It’s great that you want to learn, but I can’t help you on this. Please don’t try to use a table saw to cut foam if you are not already completely comfortable using the tool with wood. It is very dangerous.

[@aaliguy9986]

So, Robert Downey Jr. is into bee keeping. Nice!

[@Capt_Ron]

Nice job… 1. Why didn’t you show the finished installed product? 2. If you don’t put a metal top on that foam top it will disintegrate in the rain, snow, etc

[@vinofarm]

1. The final installed product is shown on several videos before this one. 2. A coat of paint protects foam board just fine. I have painted foam that has lasted 8 years outdoors.

[@total4227]

Good video wish I didn't have to keep turning the music down then try to turn it back up to hear you.

[@darlenebradley6756]

Wouldn't a darker color absorb more heat from the sun?

[@vinofarm]

Darlene Bradley The Orange is what I had. If you follow the link in the description, I have a totally new folding design for these and they are repainted.

[@darlenebradley6756]

@@vinofarm I did watch that, too, after I had made my question...my boyfriend will have something to keep him busy for the next couple of weeks! Great post and great idea!

[@nounounounou2012]

Merci

[@jaratt85]

lol at first I thought your garlic container was a flat of shrooms

[@blackoak4978]

Important note: Do *NOT* use spray paint on this foam. The solvents will eat into the foam and u will end up with a nasty mess. I used to use it for model terrain. If u want to use a spray, u first need to apply an impermeable coat of non solvent paint(or white glue, as I used) prior to spaying, or used an air brush.

[@vinofarm]

Ken Oakleaf Good tip. I'm glad all I had was leftovers in that can.

[@blackoak4978]

Vino Farm with regular paint it has a tendency to peel if u paint the shiny side. A very light sanding is sufficient to prep the surface. From what I remember the non shiny side doesn't need to be prepped. Just keep an eye out for peeling or bubbling when u are checking in on the hives. Even if it does peel, only the top cover is likely to see enough direct sun over the winter for it to take significant UV damage

[@velesodin3807]

Что за клей?

[@AvocaSingleTrack]

Don't ever work with that stuff in your house. It is the most permanent stain you could ever get. Wear gloves too, it's really tough to get off your skin. You get it on clothes, boots or fabric and it's there for life

[@vinofarm]

AvocaSingleTrack The spray foam? I'm pretty comfortable with it because I've been using it in construction for many years. But you're right that there's a learning curve to using it and not getting it all over everything. Less is more with the foam!

[@rostyslavtomkiv5620]

like from Ukraine

[@mpedals]

2021, 2 inch is now 36 bucks plus tax in north mo.

[@vinofarm]

Is that 4x8? It’s over $40 in MA. 2x8 are about $22 now.

[@wovada]

You Doing to wall wide 10 cm.

[@WilliamMcNett]

Tried that spray foam, made a mess. Titebond 3 works great ☺

[@vinofarm]

William McNett Check out the updated design linked in the description. Waaaay nicer to put together and store.

[@tangokaleidos1926]

a house will lose 80% of it's heat through an uninsulated roof. It will only lose 20% of it's heat through the walls. It's better to only insulate the roof which will allow the walls to "breathe" and release moisture unless you paint them.

[@vinofarm]

Wind blowing across a field hitting the broad side of a bee hive will take away a lot more than 20% of its heat. This is a wind break as well as insulation.

[@tangokaleidos1926]

@@vinofarm I have stated my case. This is how it is in homes as well. Only 20% heat is lost in uninsulated walls. Most houses in Europe have no insulation but when put insulation in the roof it will stay warm. It would be better if you made the whole hive out of the rigid foam if you are going to use it on the walls. Thanks for the video. Best of luck.

[@vinofarm]

@@tangokaleidos1926 Yes, but are houses in Europe made with walls that are only 3/4" thick pine boards? There is almost nothing on the sides of a bee hive. On a house, you have exterior cladding, sheathing, studs with an air gap, then some kind of drywall or plaster on the inside. Many layers of protection. The hive walls are a single 2cm piece of wood. With the wind hitting the sides of the hive for 4-5 cold months, there is nothing to keep the heat from just blowing away.

[@tangokaleidos1926]

@@vinofarm Thank you for your reply. Most houses are brick or stone with plaster with no studs or drywall and no gaps. Pine or any softwood is more insulative than brick, stone or any hardwood with the same width but you are right because my walls and the walls of traditional homes where I live are about 35-45 cm so it will be better than 3/4 inch of pine. I will let this go. If it is working for you then that is good. I hope the humidity and condensation will not become an issue. I hope it continues to work for you for many years to come. All the best!

[@ruthokpara7857]

All thanks to Doctor alued on KZbin for helping me cure my Hives after 3 years of suffering 🥺🇬🇧❤️🇺🇸

[@ducaschoenberg7156]

This time I will use Woodprix instructions to make it easy with my own hands.

[@billcoley8520]

How did the bees survive before humans started interfering ( I’m not sure interfering is the correct word ) with them. Or have humans turned the bees into sissies, lol, ? I know you have tons of money and time invested , so I do not blame you , I’m just curious...

[@vinofarm]

There would not be native honey bees in climates like mine. There are other types of native bees, but this species does not survive in places with 6 months of winter. Since I decided to import and keep these bees, I want to give them every advantage I can to get them through our harsh winter.

[@elfargo]

PSA: Spray paint will melt XPS XD

[@lgalardi]

You've since moved away from this approach, correct?

[@vinofarm]

No way... This is still what I do, but the actual shelters are modified to fold flat. See the link in the description.

[@chadjones4255]

Good luck getting that stuff off the floor.

[@HeliGav78]

Your lucky u didn't get it on the wood flooring that stuff is horrible lol

[@vinofarm]

Ha Ha... I did get a smear on the floor. And all over my hands. The trick is to let it fully cure and pick or scrape it off. Trying to get it off when it's wet just makes it ten times worse.

[@blackoak4978]

Gavin Brookes yeah, I hate working with that stuff 😒

[@carlospacheco7361]

NOT IN THE NICE WOODEN FLOOR!!!!!!

[@andrewschlicht6899]

You need to learn how to use a table saw.

[@beth-rg8bm]

Foam is not a good choice!

[@ruthokpara7857]

All thanks to Doctor alued on KZbin for helping me cure my Hives after 3 years of suffering 🥺🇬🇧❤️🇺🇸