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Author Topic: Is this bad??  (Read 3511 times)

Offline Bee Boy

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Is this bad??
« on: June 24, 2005, 11:37:11 pm »
Ok i have two hives located in my back yard under a small oak tree. They arent in dark shade, but in dapled sun light most of the morning and in the evening. The hive farther away from the tree and more in the sun is doing great. It has two supers on it already and has tons of bees. There are never any bees just sitting at the entrance.

 The one that is in the shade has the big beard of bees on the outside, all the time. And there are fewers bees flying in and out. There are no supers on this hive. Just two deeps, one of which they are filling very slow if at all. The other day thinking it was ventilation i added a slatted bottom rack to improve ventilation. Nada. What the heck is up?  Is this some kind of disease??? I would of thought the colony more in the sun would have a beard of bees.


Bee Boy (aka Wil)
Bee Boy

Offline Phoenix

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Is this bad??
« Reply #1 on: June 25, 2005, 01:13:54 am »
From my observations I am convinced that an exhaust vent at the top of the hive is imperative.  SBB's and slatted racks are not enough to move the hot and humid air that has accumulated  in the top of the hive, that air is trapped there unless there is a significant amount of air movement across the bottom of the hive to create enough turbulance to move the hot air out.  You have now seen first hand for yourself what it is that have been referring to, now prop the top of the hive and allow that hot humid air to be exhausted from above, and watch your bees move inside.

Keep us posted.

Offline Bee Boy

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Is this bad??
« Reply #2 on: June 25, 2005, 10:51:26 am »
Ok call me dumb, but how?? like slide the top box forward or what? How much should i move it???
Bee Boy

Offline thegolfpsycho

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Is this bad??
« Reply #3 on: June 25, 2005, 10:58:41 am »
Just prop the lid up on one edge or end with a couple sticks.  Exact measurements, special parts, not needed.

Offline Phoenix

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Is this bad??
« Reply #4 on: June 25, 2005, 12:00:47 pm »
Both those ideas work just fine.  Many of us use diffirent methods, for instance, Michael Bush uses migratory covers, therefore he can just wedge the corners on one side in order to vent the top of the hive as well as provide a top entrance for the bees, which is what they seem to preferr anyway.  I have a mixture of migratory and telescoping covers, on some hives I have vented attic boxes to help exhaust the heat and humidity, on some of the telescoping covered hives I have slots cut in the inner cover to provide an upper entrance as well as a vent, and I also have popsicle stick type shims on all four corners between the inner cover and the telescoping outer cover to provide ventilation without enough space for the bees to get through.  And then in a pinch I have shifted top boxes slightly towards the rear to allow an entrance and exit along the front edge.  As you can see there are many methods to achieve the same end result, work with what you have.

Offline leominsterbeeman

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Is this bad??
« Reply #5 on: June 25, 2005, 08:38:04 pm »
i've beep propping the outercover on the back with queen cages.  
Seems like I had a lot of them around recently
Michael Keane
leominsterbeeman@comcast.net
http://www.leominsterbeeman.com

 

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