Ventilated inner cover - Strange Behavior, as of late...thoughts?

[Moots]

Ok,
I built myself three ventilated inner covers (This style) and have been using them on three of my hives.

Haven't really noticed anything out of the ordinary with any of them, until recently.  On one of the hives that was a single 8 frame medium using this cover, I added a second box of foundation on the 11th, 5 days ago.  I want to say later that same evening that hive was very active, it seemed like a little more than an orientation flight, yet a little shy of swarming activity.  But it was enough to get my attention, when I went closer for a look, the inner cover was FULL of bees, in a bit of a frenzy.

Anyway, they settled down eventually, but since then on several occasions I've observed through the vent holes that the inner cover has 100, maybe 200 bees all over it with 3 or 4 bees on each vent hole, like they're trying to get out or something, again, in a bit of a frenzy.  Similar to what I saw that first evening, but on a much smaller scale.  

Until recently, I've never seen this type of behavior with any of the hives with the ventilated inner covers.  Typically when I look in the remaining two, I either see no bees, or maybe a small group of bees relaxed and chilling right at the whole in the center of the inner cover.

Also, the small entrance on the under side of the inner cover shows no activity while this is happening and the bottom entrance seems like normal light traffic with bees coming and going....

Edit: Correction, now that I think about it, I don't have the top entrance open on that hive....Maybe, I'll try opening it, not that I think that's part of the issue.

Thoughts?  

[tefer2]

Open your notch back up, they will settle down shortly.

[Moots]

Open your notch back up, they will settle down shortly.

tefer,
I'll definitely give that a try, but just for clarification, I've never had the top entrance open on that hive.

[Finski]

.
That hole in inner cover is meant for feeding.
It is not for  ventilating. It makes chimney effect into the hive and ventilation is out of control.


 

[blanc]

All my hives were bearding last night as the temps are rising and each hive acts differently than others depending on the inside conditions of the hives. Was planning relocation of two of my buddy's hives but couldn't with so many bees outside so have to attempt before dark when all foragers get back this evening. One hive looked like half the hive hanging outside. I do a weekly inspection and all the gals are doing fine and if they look too plump I throw in an empty in between brood to keep em happy to avoid swarming.
Blanc

[Moots]

All my hives were bearding last night as the temps are rising and each hive acts differently than others depending on the inside conditions of the hives. Was planning relocation of two of my buddy's hives but couldn't with so many bees outside so have to attempt before dark when all foragers get back this evening. One hive looked like half the hive hanging outside. I do a weekly inspection and all the gals are doing fine and if they look too plump I throw in an empty in between brood to keep em happy to avoid swarming.
Blanc

Blanc,
I get the concept of throwing them an empty frame to keep them busy and stop swarming....but what frame do you pull to make room, and what do you do with it?

[duck]

Blanc,
I get the concept of throwing them an empty frame to keep them busy and stop swarming....but what frame do you pull to make room, and what do you do with it?

pull a frame of eggs, frame of pollen/honey.  put in nuc box. feed, repeat..

[tefer2]

I have the vented covers on a few of my hives. There are normally a few bees patrolling the empty space. If you have a couple hundred they are out of room down below. You need to open the brood nest or add supers to give them more room. I use the notch as a top entrance so they don't track through the brood nest to get to the supers.

[Moots]

I have the vented covers on a few of my hives. There are normally a few bees patrolling the empty space. If you have a couple hundred they are out of room down below. You need to open the brood nest or add supers to give them more room. I use the notch as a top entrance so they don't track through the brood nest to get to the supers.

Tefer,
That's what has me a bit puzzled, never saw this behavior till immediately after giving them a second box and bumping 2 frames up from the first box.  :?

[tefer2]

They may think it's a new way out of the hive. If that's the case they will figure it out after a while.
The only other idea is that they are defending it cause some bug is getting in there.
We use that area in the cover to store robber screens an entrance reducers cause nobodies ever up there.