*Disclaimer – Most areas don’t need a foam cover but if you like to experiment here’s some tips on how to make something that works well.
Do foam covers actually work? Previous foam cover temperature testing on this site: https://www.nativebeehives.com/foam-covers-for-insulation/
Styrofoam broccolli boxes can be found for free and work fine but this article is about how to make one using this foam board with great insulation properties.
Here’s the layout using the 1200 x 600, 30mm thick board that is available at the big green and red hardware store for $20.
Before cutting your board! Check and confirm the measurements compared to your own hive box.
The standard OATH design is 200mm across the front and 280mm down the sides. The plan shown here will give a 5mm gap all around the box.
The height can vary alot between different boxes. Check and confirm your hive box measurements first, then draw out the measurements on the board. The 330mm height on the plan should be ok for most hive boxes.
A lot of hive entrances are different so you can leave that until last, confirm and adjust according to your own hive box.
Sticky Tape: Cut all the parts out and tape them together. Most kinds of tape will work. Binding tape that is really sticky seems to work well. Higher quality tape will last longer exposed to full weather. The bottom panel can be left completely separate from the taped cover. Place the bottom down first under the hive box and simply sit the main cover over the hive box.
Photo shows my first attempt that was slapped together pretty roughly but it’s held together ok. Masking tape didn’t work that well.
Paint: I eventually painted it with normal exterior house paint and a roller and the paint sticks to the foam really well. You can use a spray paint can also.
When to use the cover?
Summer: A white foam cover like this can be left on the hive full time over very hot periods. In Summer it delays heat increase significantly during the day.
Winter: During winter you would usually place the foam cover on the hive at around 2pm in the afternoon as that is when the heat of the day starts to drop and then remove the cover in the morning to try to warm up the hive box. If you leave the foam cover on during the day in Winter the colony tends to stay cool and can’t warm up.
Not recommended unless you like to experiment: If the hive is in the sun you can paint the cover black and it will warm the hive up during the day, so the black cover can stay on all the time but only in very cold periods. Don’t leave a black cover on in Summer.
Previous article that covers the temperature testing…
