winter ventilation

[buzzbee]

I took my son to bee class yesterday. They had a beekeeper there (Very experienced and quite knowledgable) and showed us how to check for foulbrood, talked about treatment, mites etc. He works for Penn State.
The subject of wintering hive scame up. He suggested opening the slot at the outer edge of the inner cover up to 2 inches,placing it directly above the brood boxes ,then placing an empty super above that, then placing the telescoping cover on the top.   It seems this helps the air to stabilize the temp a little to reduce condensation. Looks like a good idea to me.

[Finsky]

IIt seems this helps the air to stabilize the temp a little to reduce condensation.

What doest that mean? Stabilaze?

Beed produce respiration air like human. Sugar burns to carbon diokside and water vapour. When warm vapour meets cold surface, water  condensates.

The space of bees ought to be tight enough that bees keep room warm enough that water does not attach inside veru much. Then you have upper entrance open and air circulates from upper hole and moves water vapour out.


If you in the standing car in cold weather, respiration dondensates to cold windows. You need ventilation that vapour moves out.

Empty super does not help bees in this process.

[Brian D. Bray]

Too much ventilation, or in the case you describe attic space, will chill the bees and cause hive loss due to cold.  It is better to cut small notches on the upper side of the inner cover, screen the bee escape hole and place a stick between the inner cover and the outer top.  This will allow venting of condensation without creating a space the bees can't keep warm.

[Finsky]

Too much ventilation, or in the case you describe attic space, will chill the bees and cause hive loss due to cold.  .

That is true

.

It is better to cut small notches on the upper side of the inner cover,
screen the bee escape hole
and place a stick between the inner cover and the outer top.
 This will allow venting of condensation without creating a space the bees can't keep warm.

In picture you can see that I have finger size entrance in deeps. During winter lower entrances are quite open because dead bees may stuck the air flow.

If I have 2 deeps , the middle hole is open and uper shut. It hive has one depp upper hole is very necessary to be open.

I have wooden inner cover and plastic foan insulation board as you se in front of picture.

When moisture goes through inner cover, it ise neceaary to have FREE gap between inner and outer cover like Brian says. Witout it moistuer stays in insulation.

Boad under foam plastic is warm during winter. It comes from bees. That warm moves moisture from hive.

http://bees.freesuperhost.com/yabbfiles/Attachments/Kuva_049.jpg