Is anyone useing this cover? My initial question is - looking at the pictures of this product, do the bees have access to the inside of the unit in the summer? Seems like they would try to build comb in it.
Probably a dumb question.
I would think you would screen off the hole coming up from the bottom to keep bees out.
Bill
HELLO BILL
I bought a few of the covers a few weeks ago. It has been hot here in va. and i noticed the bees bearding in the afternoon. After i installed the covers i have noticed more flying and less bees setting on the landing board of the hive. the way i read it you keep the opening in the cover open unless you feed with a pail feeder then you put the screen over the hole...hope this helps!
I use ventilation boxes on my hives with no screen over the inner cover. I have yet to have a hive build comb in the vent box. I'm sure if you crowd them enough you could get them to. I found that with it screened off, all kinds of critters move into the space like ants, roaches, spiders, etc. With it open, the bee patrol the area and keep them out.
Thank you for the replies. Makes a lot of sense. We have been 6 days over 100 degrees f and something like 15 + days over 90f unheard of up here. I installed a ssb last week and the girls love it.
They went back to work instead of bearding. Now I want to add the top box and a sbb
Thanks...
Bill
I made my own ventilation box, put two 3/4" holes in each side at a 45 degree angle, and screened the holes on three sides (left the ones on the front side open to use as a top entrance). I left the inner cover on, and it doesn't seem to have made much of a difference with regard to bearding. I have yet to see any bees coming or going from the new entrance, too. Does it take them a while to discover the advantages of the second entrance, and would they be better served by removing the inner cover?
QuoteDoes it take them a while to discover the advantages of the second entrance, and would they be better served by removing the inner cover?
I wouldn't remove the inner cover or they will most likely build comb in the vent box. You may want to add additional holes in your inner cover though. The DE hive (who made the vent box popular) inner cover had 3 holes in it. There is a round hole under the jar in the picture with two oblong holes in the back.
(http://www.bushkillfarms.com/gallery2/d/1882-1/DCP_0007.jpg)
I make my inner covers with two oblong holes that are perpendicular to the frames (unlike most commercial inner covers that have the oblong hole parallel) so that I get air flow up thru more than just the center 2 frames.
(http://www.bushkillfarms.com/photos/d/178-2/summer_ventilation.jpg) (http://www.bushkillfarms.com/photos/d/177-1/summer_ventilation.jpg)
(http://www.hydroville.com/pix/innercover.jpg)
I have two Honey run tops and no burr comb above inner cover. I find a few bees in there, but never a lot. They seem to be doing nothing. I like the all season inner cover so far. I just expanded my apiary and will purchase three more in a few weeks after I expand my nucs. Easy to copy and I just might.