Hive Hugger®

Yes — the Crown panel is custom cut to sit on top of your wooden inner cover, and the Wrap fits snugly around your existing hive boxes, so there’s no need to modify your woodenware.

Standard Density offers an R-value of 7 at 25°F and is a great low-cost option, while High Density offers an R-value of 8 along with increased resistance to moisture and compression, making it a better fit for apiaries facing especially harsh climates.

Yes — both components are available individually if you already own one piece or want to expand your setup, and additional storage bags are available for beekeepers managing multiple Crown panels.

Well insulated, non-ventilated hives provide stable, consistent temperatures so there are not the diurnal swings that create daily dips into dew point ranges which lead to the formation of condensation. So ironically there is actually less of an issue with condensation in well insulated, non-ventilated hives than in poorly insulated hives. Etienne Tardif’s research suggests that in condensing hive, the bees are very sophisticated at regulating relative humidity in the hive. They will allow the hive temperatures to rise or drop to create the right amount of moisture required for their drinking water and metabolizing honey. We have not come across any research that talks about too much moisture being an issue as long as it stays off the top of the hive, which is accomplished by super insulating the top of the hive. There is even research that suggests that high relative humidity levels can help slow Varroa reproduction.

We recommend leaving 80-100 pounds or 12-14 full frames of honey in a double deep and 40-50 pounds or 6-7 full frames in a single deep. In well insulated, non-ventilated hives, the research shows that the bees consume 30-50% less honey, so there is no need for fondant or emergency feed in the winter. Beekeepers often have surplus honey left over in the spring. Despite this, we still recommend leaving that much honey though because honey provides great thermal mass and helps the hive retain heat.

If supplemental feed is needed over the winter, one can add a feeding shim or candy board. It can be placed under the Crown Panel. The foam board wrap will need to be shimmied up to butt up against the outer cover to ensure the top on the hive stays the warmest. It may be necessary to prop up the foam boards so they do not slide down.

The Apimaye Crown fits into the recessed area in the outer cover where the feeder normally sits, so the feeder cannot be used with the Crown panel in place. An option for adding supplemental food is to thinly roll a Hive Alive patty and place it under the plexiglass panel. One thing to keep in mind is that with the addition of the Apimaye Crown, the colony often consumes 30-50% less honey, so one may not need to add supplemental winter feed.

Scientific research states that overwintering in the smallest configuration of hive boxes for the number of bees yields the best outcomes, not only in colony strength and survival, but in reduced honey consumption. Too big of hive space in relation to the number of bees can result in winter failure. Etienne Tardif, a beekeeper and researcher in the Yukon, gets the best survival in single deeps. Think about the stress of heating a three story mansion compared to a small bungalow. The way to estimate your colony's population before winter is to count frames of bees. There is a YouTube video from Bee Informed on how to do this. Wait until early fall (September-October) when the colony size has stabilized. Inspect in the evening when the foraging bees are back in the hive. Take into consideration that many of the bees are drones and summer bees and will not be present in the winter. Ideally, you want at least 6 frames of bees per deep box. So, for example, if each deep hive box only has 4 or 5 frames of bees, instead of overwintering in two deeps, it would be better to combine them to overwinter in one deep box or a deep box plus a medium. Many beekeepers are taught to overwinter using 3 deeps to ensure having enough honey. Indeed, in a ventilated, poorly insulated hive, the bees consume A LOT more honey for energy to generate heat, so beekeepers often need 3 deeps. However, research shows that in non-ventilated, well insulated hives, like Hive Hugger, the bees consume 30-50% less honey. As long as you leave about 14 full frames of honey, the bees can easily overwinter in a 2 deep configuration. You should not need the 3rd deep hive box. We frequently have beekeepers open their hives in the spring to find surplus honey.

In our test hives, we used both solid and screened bottom boards, and both set ups had similar excellent outcomes with the Hive Hugger set up. The configuration of the bottom board doesn’t seem to have an impact on the thermodynamics of the hive. If a screened bottom board is used, then ensure that the plastic board is slid back into place for winter to serve as a barrier against updrafts. It is totally okay that it is not air tight at the bottom of the hive since 75% of the heat escapes through the top of the hive (heat rises) and 25% leaves from the side walls, as long as those areas are covered, the bees are in good shape.

Slatted racks provide the benefit of creating a buffer from the cold winds blowing directly onto the bees. We do not use them in our research apiaries, but we certainly believe that they can provide added cold protection to the colony.

Set the entrance reducer to the 4 3/4 inch size and invert it so the opening is on top. That way when dead bees collect on the bottom board, they will not plug up that opening. If you intend to check on your hives regularly over the winter and clear the entrance, then setting it to the smaller opening and having the opening on the bottom is fine. It depends on how involved you intend to be managing your hives over the winter.

Bill Hesbach, one of the pioneers of condensing hives, says to put on insulation when we start putting on a jacket to go outside. Research shows that the bees start to vibrate their wing muscles at around 60° and they begin to cluster at 50-55°. Generating heat takes a lot of energy, so it is very helpful to reduce their stress by applying insulation when the temps drop in the 50-60° range.

No rush to remove the insulation in the spring as it is a very vulnerable time for the colony. In fact, it is the time of year with the highest mortality rate, which can be very confusing and frustrating for the beekeeper. The demands in spring of the worker bees are very different than in the dead winter. Once the queen starts laying eggs, the old winter bees need to activate their glands to care for the brood and generate enough heat to keep the brood at 95°. And if they are unable to do this because of cold exposure, they will quit trying and without replacement brood, the colony will perish. So we recommend leaving the Hive Hugger on until temps are consistently above 55°.

The high density foam board is more durable and offers added protection against compression and moisture. So it will hold up better against accidental damage. The high density foam board has an R-value of 8 and offers more cold protection than the standard density, which has an R-value of 7. Depending on the climate zone you live in, that extra cold protection may be helpful."