Che Guebee Apiary: Raw wool as hive insulation

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Raw wool as hive insulation

Someone threw away lots of raw wool into the near by forest which I pass every day with my dog. Of course I was not lazy to go back home and get a bag and collect some of it. Wool is a perfect insulation for bee hives, both to insulate the roof above the cluster and in case of doubble walled hives. So I stuffed the one hive which has a doubble wall;

One can see the wool through the window from inside the hive

2 comments:

Big Daddy DukeDecember 14, 2013 at 7:34 AM
I think this is an excellent idea as wool, unlike synthetic insulation, absorbs moisture and reduces the opportunity for condensation to negatively impact the winter cluster. Old wool blankets or old wool coats can be used also.
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UnknownOctober 6, 2019 at 2:35 AM
Excellent idea, though I might not need it coz I'm in the tropics, equator.
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What is Natural Beekeeping?

"Natural Beekeeping" is a concept, an idea which springs from a human mind and as such will differ from one person to another, from one culture to another, depending on our limited and conditioned perception about what it IS being a Honeybee. Since natural beekeeping is an idea and not the actuality it is not to be taken rigidly. Instead it is to be directly inspired by the Actuality. But let's avoid going too philosophical about it and let me simply describe how I see "natural beekeeping" benefiting honeybees (these are only guidelines not a dogma);

- free wax comb construction resulting in clean wax and various cell size

- bees overwinter on their own honey stores (feeding sugar syrup ONLY if absolutely necessary)

- lots of peace (low interference from the beekeepers part)

- treatment free (The only way to have a sustainable system of beekeeping is to stop treating, instead making splits from survivor colonies seems the most natural way to me)

- bees are allowed to raise as many Drones as needed (no drone culling)

- natural Queen selection resulting in the strongest Queen (no queen cell culling and only working with local Queens or my own)

- pesticide free bee zone and supporting organic farming (this is a global issue and must be dealt with locally first through environmental organisations and by buying and growing organic food/clothing, etc ...)

- expanding my apiary every year by making splits using Queen Cells from my own strong survivor colonies or catching local swarms. This is the best way to counteract winter losses.

- planting for the bees flowering trees, bushes and plants covering all seasons. Biodiversity is the best healer for the bees and all other creatures.

Natural Beekeeping

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Raw wool as hive insulation

2 comments:

Catching my very first Prime Swarm