OK, once again to some of you who have this wonderful inner cover. When I received this cover, I did not like that top entrance and so I had a friend close it up for me.(always worried about robbing around here!!) Well after reading the posts about using this for the winter ventilation, I had my friend open it up for me.
This evening I placed the inner covers back onto my 2 hives with the top entrances opened. So now my bees will have bottom entrances and top entrances. I guess I am being to nervous about this, but can the bees really guard both entrances??? The top entrance is so close to the honey and I guess I am wondering how safe it all is..
I am also wondering if rain would ever get inside this top entrance???
If you have any experience about this and can make me feel better, please do. I am feeling a bit neurotic tonight.
Annette
yes your bee's will guard both and it will be fine, they will do better also, cure and cap honey fast and not take a lot of bee's keeping the hive cool, most can do other thing now..... I have top and bottom entrances on all my hives, they hang out the top and come and go from the bottom, always have done this,,,...
Quote from: annette on August 11, 2007, 11:36:31 PM
OK, once again to some of you who have this wonderful inner cover. When I received this cover, I did not like that top entrance and so I had a friend close it up for me.(always worried about robbing around here!!) Well after reading the posts about using this for the winter ventilation, I had my friend open it up for me.
This evening I placed the inner covers back onto my 2 hives with the top entrances opened. So now my bees will have bottom entrances and top entrances. I guess I am being to nervous about this, but can the bees really guard both entrances??? The top entrance is so close to the honey and I guess I am wondering how safe it all is..
I am also wondering if rain would ever get inside this top entrance???
If you have any experience about this and can make me feel better, please do. I am feeling a bit neurotic tonight.
Annette
I also have the vented inner cover from Honey Run, installed it on the hive with the largest beard yesterday. I will have to monitor it during the week to see how the ladies like it. If all goes well, my other 8 hives will get one. I will post my observations here in about a week :-D
I just ordered some inner covers from Rossman and the have a semicircle vent on the front of the inner cover. This is the first time I have seen thisstyle inner cover since I had inner covers from Roots. I usually wedge open the top of the hive for ventalation and with these new inner covers I won't need to do that. I think the semicircle entrance might be easier for the bees to guard.
Yes, I always want to hear how other people like the cover. OK I feel better now. Went up this morning to check on them and saw that they were hanging around inside the top entrance (sort of lined up and looking around) and still leaving from the bottom.
Your cover from Rossman sounds interesting. Yes stay in touch and let me know how you like your new cover.
Now how about rain???? Does anyone know if rain would get into these entrances??? I think most beekeepers here have not had enough experience with these inners covers to answer this question??
Thanks
Annette
I have never bought a intercover with vents, I just modify regular intercovers, I cut entrances in the front of them, about 3 inches wide and 3/8 inch high....
Thanks Twt for this info also. I know that would work fine to, but I spent the money anyway for these fancy covers.
So about the rain question?????
Annette
>Now how about rain?Huh Does anyone know if rain would get into these entrances???
Here's my top entrances:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopentrance.htm
I don't see problems with rain.
I believe I am really feeling good now. Thank you all once again for coming through with the answers.
Annette
If your worried about robbing, why don't you make a closeable entrance like the DE inner cover. That way you can keep it closed all summer and then open in in the late fall.
Annette. If you want to know about rain, I am the rain guru!!! :-D I live in southwestern British Columbia, about 45 km from the coast. Southwestern British Columbia is known as a rain forest. Yes, we have lots of rain, wind, cool, winters. Sometimes in January we can have freezing for a couple of weeks straight. We can have frost as early as October 15 (like last year), it is frosty off and on definitely after the end of October. The frost comes with clear skies. We have lots of overcast skies with rain, which removes the chance of frost. We don't get very often snow, it may snow now and then, but this is not typical of our rainforest weather.
I can tell you that for the two seasons that I have been keeping bees, I have not had any issues of rain getting into the slot on the inner cover. It is a small slot, about 1 inch wide, and of course, not much taller than a "bee space". THis slot in the inner cover is integral to keeping moisture out. We were taught that in our beekeeping courses. Very, very important. Should the slot in the inner cover not be there, then there is no way for moisture to escape the hives in the wintertime.
My bees use the bottom and top entrances and happily guard both.
Now KathyP is a different matter. I remember she spoke about the issues she had with the wind blowing the rain into her hives. She had extentuating circumstances at her property, I think she has weird winds that come through her place or something. I can't recall the exact issues, but I remember she remedied the situation by one way or another. Maybe she will have input into this thread and give her opinion. Wait and see. But...got with the top entrance, you will see it will be OK. Don't worry Annette, you are doing wonderful. I know your concerns. I was a new beekeeper and had so many questions. I only found this forum last fall, had I found it quite some time before my beekeeping learning would have been so much simpler. Instead, I delved into books, took courses, read and read and read some more. I would not turn back the hands of time though, because all the books I read certainly have done nothing but good. But I did not have a mentor, like I said, this forum....it has been the best mentor on earth. And rely on Michael Bush's website, it is invaluable!!!!! Have this wonderful day and beautiful life and health to boot. Cindi
Yes, this forum has been a life saver for me regarding the bees. I also have felt very much alone, and here at least people are caring and interested in this hobby.
Thanks for all the advice from all you wonderful people. You all have gotten me through all the hard times and you are also so happy when things are going well for my bees.
Sincerely,
Annette
no prob w/ rain at all w/ vented covers form Honey run.
i had high winds and rain. it blew the rain up the sides of the hive and under the cover. i ended up using roofing paper to create an overhang and tighten the fit of the lid.
if you don't have high winds, your top opening should be fine.
i also have to make an a frame kind of cover in front of the hive to keep the rain from blowing in through the bottom opening. it also keeps the snow and ice from building up and blocking the front.
Quote from: KONASDAD on August 13, 2007, 03:00:43 PM
no prob w/ rain at all w/ vented covers form Honey run.
Thanks you Konasdad. I know you have these covers also. I appreciate hearing from you. Do they ever use the top entrance for anything except to hang out???
Annette
A Honey Run Inner Cover for those of you who are interested :-D
(http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/1204/dscf0002ou6.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
Thank you to beehopper for posting that photo. This way other people can see what we are talking about. That is a good lesson. Now that I just got my digital camera and I am learning how to use it, I will try to post photos more and this helps to include everyone in the process
So what has your experience been like using these covers?? How long have you used them???
Thanks
Annette
Oops!!! Just read you post again and saw that you just received this cover. Sorry!!
Will wait for future posts from you.
My bees usually use the lower when no flow is going. Any entrance when the flow is strong.
Beehopper. Nice picture. This Honey Run inner cover looks to me like what an "Imirie" shim would be like? Are they the same thing basically, with three holes in the front. Is the purpose of the holes for ventilation? I am rather confused as to how this inner cover works. Please elaborate. Have a wonderful day, beautiful life. Cindi
Cindi
Go to the website and you can get a better look at it: http://www.honeyrunapiaries.com
I am sure your husband can build this one for you.
Sincerely
Annette
Annette, I looked at the site and it is on my favourites list. I will look at it a little deeper, I have to go outside and play now, I am doing playing in the house and the outdoors is calling me ;) Have a wonderful day, beautiful life. C
Quote from: Cindi on August 14, 2007, 02:49:41 PM
Beehopper. Nice picture. This Honey Run inner cover looks to me like what an "Imirie" shim would be like? Are they the same thing basically, with three holes in the front. Is the purpose of the holes for ventilation? I am rather confused as to how this inner cover works. Please elaborate. Have a wonderful day, beautiful life. Cindi
Cindi,
It is take off on the DE Hive, combining the ventilation box and inner cover in one, less the ability to control the bee space on the top super or open/close the upper entrance. You can view the DE Hive mod kit instruction in the download section of my website. The instructions explain the proper usage for the seasons.
http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/downloads
Rob, I have often wondered why your site is called "bushkill farms", will you tell me? Have a wonderful day, beautiful and great life. Cindi
Quote from: Cindi on August 16, 2007, 02:37:17 AM
Rob, I have often wondered why your site is called "bushkill farms", will you tell me? Have a wonderful day, beautiful and great life. Cindi
Cindi,
We are located in a area know as the Bushkill valley. The Bushkill creek, formerly Bush Kil (kil being dutch for "deep trench between steep banks"), is a tributary to the ashokan reservoir, one of the six reservoirs providing water to NYC. If interested, there is more details here -> http://bushkillfarms.com/site/about-us
Luckily we are a small area and the politically correct crowd has left us along. Unlike the town of Fishkill that was been pressured to rename themselves :roll: Being an area that was heavily populated by the Dutch, we have plenty of kills around here. Beaver Kill, Ver Noy Kill, Wallkill......
Rob, very nice. I looked at your site and I loved the way you have set up the description of the area and the picture. A beauty of life for sure. Have a wonderful day, great life. Cindi