apiary hive clustering

[Chrisbarlow]

Does any one else push their hives together during winter? I've started to do so in an attempt to conserve heat with in the hive and limit wind chill effect. Ingenious or insanity?

[Alfred]

Not for me
Mine are ratchet strapped into concrete 'stations' otherwise they'd sink into the ground.
Thermally it's a no as well -even with timber boxes.
At least for this year
I'd made up some thermal wraps to go on after the OA is completed but I'm not sure I'll need them judging by the activity I saw this morning,with most hives gaining least another seam in the space of a week.

[Patrick]

That’s an interesting idea Chris.

I have never thought to do so, but I don’t worry about the cold or the wind too much as being amongst trees most of my hives are pretty sheltered. As I am just off the Somerset Levels along with widespread flooding everywhere, it is wet as hell.

As I didn’t take off the summer honey crop this year, I nadired with a couple of supers and will be interested to see if there are any obvious downsides. I do wonder if there is any pollen in those not covered by bees they may end up with mould. If not, it’s quite a convenient way of overwintering supers.

[NigelP]

I know Hivemaker makes small nucs that sit 4 to a crown board and uses the main bees underneath to help generate warmth throughout the winter.
As I use poly hives pretty much exclusively not an issue I would have considered.

[AdamD]

My nucs wouldn't fit together side-by-side.

[AdamD]

I know Hivemaker makes small nucs that sit 4 to a crown board and uses the main bees underneath to help generate warmth throughout the winter.

Brother Adam did this too; makes sense.

[Chrisbarlow]

I know Hivemaker makes small nucs that sit 4 to a crown board and uses the main bees underneath to help generate warmth throughout the winter.
As I use poly hives pretty much exclusively not an issue I would have considered.

That sounds like a queen castle concept, similar as well to Michael palmer and his nuc towers. More than one colony under one roof type of thing

[Chrisbarlow]

My nucs wouldn't fit together side-by-side.

I have poly nucs. They'll huddle together quite well.