Shipping temperatures and heatpacks

So with temperatures starting to drop, we'll soon be needing heatpacks again. I generally use a heatpack when temperatures dip below 55 degF, though right now there are areas with a daytime high of 65s, whereas nightime lows are in the low 40s. Not only that but the temperatures where I am are still in the 80s.

What temperatures do you start using a heatpack for?

good question... Michigan has had really weird weather for the last year and a half.. my area has been averaging 10 degrees higher, or lower then normal temps...

Low 40's or less.

Rick said:

Low 40's or less.

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Have you ever managed to "cook" your packages with a heatpack if your local temperature is still in the low 80s?

I live in Minnesota where we have very cold winters. I find it most challenging when I'm shipping in the winter to a warm place. I use heat packs with a shorter duration in those instances. I typically use a heat pack when the temp on either end is supposed to be in the 30s. But I buy boxes from U-line and use foam insulation. I like to know if there is a chance of the package sitting in a mailbox or front porch in extreme temps. In those cases it's best to ship using hold for pickup. I've actually had fewer issues with packages I've shipped and ones I've received in the winter than I have in the hot summer. I've never cooked any packages when using a heat pack but I try to keep some space between the heat pack and the containers.

We had some extreme temperatures last winter. I won't ship from here if the lows are expecting to drop below zero.

Tammy Wolfe said:

I live in Minnesota where we have very cold winters. I find it most challenging when I'm shipping in the winter to a warm place. I use heat packs with a shorter duration in those instances. I typically use a heat pack when the temp on either end is supposed to be in the 30s. But I buy boxes from U-line and use foam insulation. I like to know if there is a chance of the package sitting in a mailbox or front porch in extreme temps. In those cases it's best to ship using hold for pickup. I've actually had fewer issues with packages I've shipped and ones I've received in the winter than I have in the hot summer. I've never cooked any packages when using a heat pack but I try to keep some space between the heat pack and the containers.

We had some extreme temperatures last winter. I won't ship from here if the lows are expecting to drop below zero.

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Which heatpacks do you use? My problem is that I'm shipping from a warm area to a colder area, would be nice if I could remotely activate the heatpack lol. I need to order some smaller heatpacks, the 32 hour UniHeats are good and all but I think they are a little overkill for small boxes.

Are you shipping priority express (typically overnight in most areas)? Most of the time I use the Uniheat brand that are 40 hour, 60 and 72 hours.

Priority. Sorry, I meant the 72h, derped out. They tend to last almost 5 days at times.

I haven't shipped any mantids during cold temps, but I can chip in with my experience with shipping plants (they're pretty fragile - if it's too cold, they turn to plant-sicles and if it's too hot they get cooked). I've shipped ~500 plants over the past several years, and some things I've learned: I tend to avoid shipping when low temps are below a certain threshold, even with a heat pack. A heatpack can only generate so much heat.

If it's cold where I live and warm at the destination, I either use the 48 hr or 24 hr heat packs, plus insulation as needed. An activated heat pack going full strength will cook the plant. If it is warm where I live and cold at the destination, I go with the 48 hr or 72 hr heat packs. I try to activate the heat pack as late as possible and place insulation between the plant and the heat pack. If it is cold at both locations, I use the 72 hr heat packs...or if it's too cold, I wait and monitor the weather daily, looking for a 2-3 day window of opportunity.

I like to vary the amount of insulation. If it's really cold (but not so cold that it's unsafe to ship), I use a larger box with more layers of insulation; if it's not too bad, a smaller box will do.

And then a few times I had to cross my fingers and rely on faith a little, with package delays (especially around Christmas) and mis-routes (a package headed south to a warm location actually took the scenic route north before heading back south again).

I use the Uniheat heat packs, I think that's the only brand that's commonly used.

I know I may be comparing apples to oranges with what I learned about shipping plants vs shipping mantids. I just thought I'd share my two cents.