Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: rdrcl on July 30, 2007, 11:29:12 am
-
Its that time of year again my bees are HOT and hanging out outside in the evenings. Right now all I have is the top cover no inner cover and no screened bottom board. Has anyone used these covers and should I also get the screened bottom board for mite control and increased ventilation. It was mentioned a while back on this site but can't find it now for some reason.
(http://www.honeyrunapiaries.com/store/images/4season.gif)
http://www.honeyrunapiaries.com/store/season-inner-cover-p-50.html?osCsid=2557c04e2c5719161b1df4006f436d64
Thank you for your time and assistance
-
yes get a screened bottom board. if you are looking for references on this site, look also under 'SBB'. for the top, just use a little stick or something to prop the top open a bit. that will let heat out. no need to spend extra money on that....put your money toward the SBB. it is important.
-
I use Kelly's vent plastic top, they work fine
http://go.netgrab.com/secure/kelleystore/asp/product.asp?product=168
-
Last year I took a medium super (a shallow might even be better) and drilled a bunch of entrance-size holes in it--two on the long sides, one each on the short sides.
I stapled a bit of #8 hardware mesh on the insides of all but the front hole (an entrance). I placed this super (with frames) on top of one of my colonies last year. I also used a SBB.
This colony was the only one to produce a surplus last year (from two package colonies on bare Pierco foundation). They drew out, filled and capped the entire box.
I just took this same super and placed it on one of my colonies in the backyard.
I've got a few more beater supers that I'll probably alter in this fashion. I think it helps dry the honey, and helps the bees regulate the temps in extra hot weather.
Oregon has relatively mild winters, so I tend to be the type to leave SBB's open in winter, and I'd consider keeping one of these supers over a ventilated inner cover to help let moisture escape.
-
Yes, I am one of the people here using the ventilated inner covers from Honey Run Apiaries on my 2 hives. I really like them and the bees seem better in the heat. No more bearding this summer even though we get temperatures into the 100's. The whole cover makes sense to me. I really do not know how it will be come winter. It has a foam insulation you can place in the hive for the winter and still leave the middle screen open for ventilation.
I will let you all know how it handles in the winter. Hopefully, it will keep the hive moisture free this winter.
Sincerely
Annette
-
Last season I took an inner cover and cut a hole three inches by three inches and covered it with window screen mesh. I noticed that the hive did much better than the other hive similar to it up to that point. More honey. I think it helps the bees spend less time ventilating honey to dry it. This year I converted a shallow box into a venting system by stapling the same wire mesh I use for SBB on each side. I think it helped reduce swarming tendencies greatly just recently and I have moved it around from bearding hive to bearding hive. I propped the outer cover over that so no rain can get in if it sprinkles overnight or so. I can't say enough about the benefits of some way of reducing heat in the hive, as well as extra ventilation on hot summer days, especially during a heavy flow.
-
Just be careful of your bee space with the Honey Run all season cover. Depending on the depth of the frame rests on your supers, it is a good chance they will build burr comb between the frames and the innercover.
I prefer to use a flat inner cover in the summer with two holes and a vent box on top. I only use an upper entrance in the winter. I find it to hectic when inspecting and field bees are frantically looking for their entrance that I have removed. Or just but a couple of sticks across the top of the inner cover to elevate the top cover. That works well too, the bees like to hang out on the covered porch.
-
I use two. So far no complaints. I also use SBB and Slatted racks. Each additional item added some benefit. The top added the most and it was added last. I look forward to winter and see how it performs then w/ the insulation. I have no problems w/ burr comb so far, and they propolize less as well. I intend to buy a few more soon as I expanded my apaiary recently.
-
Thanks for all of the advice I just ordered Screened bottom boards for all of my hives (only 5) and one of the hive covers for my hive that is doing the most bearding. The rest are just going to get a stick under the top cover for now.
-
you'll lik'em and can copy them afdter you se one up close.
-
I am wondering I use two. So far no complaints. I also use SBB and Slatted racks. Each additional item added some benefit. The top added the most and it was added last. I look forward to winter and see how it performs then w/ the insulation. I have no problems w/ burr comb so far, and they propolize less as well. I intend to buy a few more soon as I expanded my apaiary recently.
They have not made any burr comb on my inner covers either. So far so good. I do wonder how you are going to overwinter them??? I think I mentioned this before in other postings, but I am not sure if you were the person I had asked this question to. I keep the screen on over the middle center hole. I plan on placing the insulation in the box, but not covering the middle hole with the insulation. My hope is the moisture problems I had last winter will not happen with this set up. Do you think it may get to cold in the hive with that hole open all winter???? I do not have a top entrance on my boxes, as I ordered them without the top side entrance.
Thanks
Annette
-
By leaving that plug out, you'll be creating a pretty good chimney effect, and it will suck the heat right out. I don't know your climate well enough to know if that is a problem or not. Do the finger holes in the plug go all the way thru? If so, they would probably handle your moisture issues. A 3/8 x 1.5" opening works well for me.
-
I was intending to leave the insulation in until feeding might be needed. I dint know if finger holes go all the way through or not. I dont know if it would encourage chimney effect or not. The hole in the inner cover is still the same size whether you put the insulation plug in or not. It would block the flow if left in, but is only slightly bigger than the traditional opening. Hope that made sense. Answer, dont know. Might email company before long to get their input. I expect it stays in unless feeding.
-
I HAVE THESES TYPE VENTED HIVE COVERS ON MY TWO HIVES. THE FINGER HOLES ARE MADE BY A TORCH FLAME AND DOESNT GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH. IN THE SUMMER TIME THE INSOLATION IN TAKEN OUT . IN THE FALL AND SPRING YOU HAVE THE INSOLATION BUT NO CENTER PLUG FOR FEEDING. IN THE WINTER THE CENTER PLUG IS INSALLED. THE VENTILATION IN THE WINTER COMES FROM THE TOP ENTRANCE. VERY PLEASED WITH THE ONES I HAVE..... HOPE THIS HELPS... MILLERMANN1972
-
I had ordered these covers without the top entrances, as I always worry about robbing around here. So I will not have those entrances to help with the moisture problems. I am relying on the middle opening, but as you all say, and I was worried about this also, the top being left open would let out all the heat inside the hive. I am not sure what I will do now. Those finger holes do not go all the way through, although perhaps I can drill them and make them open up. That is an option I will have to think about as we get closer to cold weather. Yes, we can get pretty cold up here for a couple of months.
By leaving that plug out, you'll be creating a pretty good chimney effect, and it will suck the heat right out. I don't know your climate well enough to know if that is a problem or not. Do the finger holes in the plug go all the way thru? If so, they would probably handle your moisture issues. A 3/8 x 1.5" opening works well for me.
Where are you placing this opening you write about and how do you make this opening??? Perhaps, I should just leave all the insulation in and place an opening somewhere else???? Do not know what to do.
Thanks
Annette
-
if you want top ventalation, try a D.E. hive mod kit for a lang hive, I never tried one but have heard good thing about them...
http://www.beeworks.com/modkit.html
-
I Just installed my Honey Run ventilated box with a telescoping cover and the bees seem to love it.
The small top entrance is easly guarded by a few bees and they are taking there job very serious.
I agree that leaving the center plug out in winter would be dangerous ie. chimney effect. We have had a very hot and dry summer here in western Montana ie. no rain fall in the month of July and only 1 day below 90 degrees and record number of days of over 100 degrees. Have had no bearding since I installed sbb and stick under commercial migratory cover. Started this hive in early July from a nuc that outgrew a 5 framer that my commercial beek friend didn't need. They are now in 2 deep hive bodys and 1 deep super
and are making honey from a dried up landscape. There is some irigated farm land here and there for them though. I havn't had bees in over 16 years and am in love again with this beautiful hobby and am really lucky to have a commercial beek in the area. I have learned more in the last couple of months from the com. beek than I learned in 10 years on my own.
Bill
-
if you want top ventalation, try a D.E. hive mod kit for a lang hive, I never tried one but have heard good thing about them...
http://www.beeworks.com/modkit.html
I have a DE mod kit and it works well, even with the fact that it does not have a SBB. David Eyre believes that the solid bottom board keeps the brood chamber warmer and more humid which is not ideal for varroa. It also rotates the hive so the frames are in the "warm" way. What I like about it is that the inner cover is reversible so that it is flat against the super in the summer to reduce bur comb and reversed in the winter to allow for a small upper entrance for ventilation. The entrance is closeable as David does not recommend an upper entrance in the summer as it will cause the bees to store more pollen in the honey and make it cloudy. I find the cover a bit bulk and overkill in my opinion, I think the system works just as well with a regular telescopic cover. I think this system has been around long before the honey run inner cover, and is probably what inspired the honey run inner cover. I have always had good dealings with beeworks. They are a small husband and wife operation, so at times they are short or out of something, but they have always been upfront with good communications. They also use to sell some really good northern queen, but unfortunately with the border rules changing, they no longer ship to the US.
-
I am using the ventilated top and bottom and the bearding has seemed to stopped all together. When I ordered they were a little slower then I would have liked but they had run out and had to make them and I need to learn to be a little more patient anyway I am satisfied with what I received so the wait was worth it I will do business with them again and if I have to wait a little so be it.
-
I received my notice of shipment hope they get here soon my busiest hive is covering the whole front of a 4 box hive every evening much more of this and I will probaly lose them, if it is not already too late.
-
rdrcl... Try opening the cover a little with a small stick or sliding a supper back about a 1/4 - 1/3 of an inch this will let some heat out. Also I recomend the screened bottom board.
Bill