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Author Topic: Question about Ventilation/Upper Entrance in Winter  (Read 5983 times)

Offline Bill the Beekeeper

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Question about Ventilation/Upper Entrance in Winter
« on: October 15, 2004, 01:14:18 pm »
I have heard that ventilating the top of the hive is very important, but have read lots of different methods for doing this.  

So I am conducting a poll of users of this forum:

What type of upper ventilation method do you use for your hives AND WHY?

Here are a couple methods that I've read about:

- Upper Entrance hole cut in top super

- Raising the top cover or inner cover by sticking something to prop it open - stick, bottle cap, sofa tack, etc...


And please indicate whether you are ventilating over winter as well as in the summer.
Bill the Beekeeper

Offline buzz

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Question about Ventilation/Upper Entrance in Winter
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2004, 04:35:50 pm »
I plan on raising the cover, but I also cut a part out of the side of the inner cover. In summer i will just have the part out of the inner cover, and not raise it
Scott
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Offline Beth Kirkley

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Question about Ventilation/Upper Entrance in Winter
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2004, 04:50:13 pm »
I'll ventilate all winter with a 1" space down the middle of the inner cover. The lid also has screened ventilation holes.

Beth

Offline leominsterbeeman

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Ventilation
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2004, 05:38:33 pm »
I am planning on putting on an upper entrace shim on of the upper brood chamber.   Shim is know as a George Imire shim from brushy mountain.
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Offline Robo

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Question about Ventilation/Upper Entrance in Winter
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2004, 11:19:15 pm »
For summer ventilation I use a screened bottom board and a inner cover with two openings perpendicular to the frames.  Having the holes perpendicular allows for better air flow up thru the frames.  The traditional Langstroth inner cover has the hole parallel with the frames and only provides staight air flow between the center 2 frames.  On top of the inner cover I put a ventilation box with screen openings.  This way they get good air flow thru the hive without having an upper entrance, so they don't bring pollen into the honey supers.


        click image for larger view

For winter, I insert the tray into the screened bottom board to close it off and remove the alighting board.  I also replace the inner cover with a sugar board that has an upper entrance in it.  On top of the sugar board goes the ventilation box with a piece of rigid insulation inside. The hive is wrapped with tar paper and the upper entrance is cut thru. 

click image for larger view
« Last Edit: December 04, 2007, 03:57:56 pm by Robo »
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Offline Finman

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Re: Question about Ventilation/Upper Entrance in Winter
« Reply #5 on: December 22, 2004, 04:44:15 pm »
Quote from: Bill the Beekeeper
I have heard that ventilating the top of the hive is very important, but have read lots of different methods for doing this.  

- Upper Entrance hole cut in top super

- Raising the top cover or inner cover by sticking something to prop it open - stick, bottle cap, sofa tack, etc...


And please indicate whether you are ventilating over winter as well as in the summer.


At spring, when night are cold, it is good if ventilation is only through main entry. But if bees do the cleaning fliht through upper hole, you cannot close it any more. But you can do it almost littel finger size. If hive is too ventilated, chalk brood may attach easily.

I use "Upper Entrance hole" during summer in every two box. Every box is too much.

Bees ove to fly through holes, but first of all, holes are for biggest honey flow ventilation.  I deminish the main entrance if weather demands it.

I never lift the ceiling for ventilation. My hives are 150 km from me and I cannot run every time to help them.  They must care themself whole week or a month.

I use the lowest box as a porch.  Entrance is wide and ventilation is free.

****
At winter the main entrance must be guite widden. Also it must be finger tip size upper hole, taht moisture comes out.

If you have grid bottom, then upper holes are closed.

Our winter last  5 -6 months that they cannot come out.

Offline Horns Pure Honey

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Question about Ventilation/Upper Entrance in Winter
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2004, 12:23:07 am »
I like the hole drilled under the handels. The reason you want good ventalation in the winter is that the bees keep the hive warm, they want to keep the queen at 92 deg. F. All this heat makes condinsation (water droplets) on the inner cover wich drips down on the bees and kills them due to it is cold water. This can kill your wholl hive very quickly. bye
Ryan Horn

 

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