Does anybody have plans to make migratory covers for a 10 frame hive? They are easier and cheaper to build I have heard.
Plywood squares to fit your boxes are about the cheapest way you can go.
3 suggestions; (1) look in a beekeeping catalog and make a copy of what you see. (2) order a migratory cover and duplicate it. (3) Find a local beek and copy his.
Thanks! About the plywood, won't it bent up or down during the winter and lose its flatness? It needs a front and back to stop the wind from pulling it off, how tight. I use rocks on my regular covers, but they use a lot of wood and time.
I use 3/4" concrete form plywood with a feeder jar hole in the center. New the plywood ain't cheap, but you can often find left overs or slightly used sheets from the bigger construction sites for 4-5 bucks ea. You can get 10 covers from a sheet.
Scott
>About the plywood, won't it bent up or down during the winter and lose its flatness?
Sometimes. That's what rocks are for...
> It needs a front and back to stop the wind from pulling it off
No. It does not. I never put them on. I just cut it to fit and put a rock on it. Anything hanging over the sides ADDS to it blowing off.
Will honey bees survive a NY winter with these kinds of covers, they do not have an inner cover?
I bought a bunch of old old equipment from an old old man a couple of years back. Almost all he had was homemade. In the deal were a bunch of the plywood tops. Well painted over the years. He even used the aluminum printing plates to top the plywood on a couple. I don't have any on any hives anymore, but I keep them just in case and have used them when needed.
If you are worried about winters in NY, wrap them up, top in all for the winter. I think they will do fine. A little fresh air from around the tops in the winter will help keep the moisture down.
My father in law works for a printing place so he gets me some used aluminum from there. :)
Do you use a top entrance also? It would cut down on moisture, no? Last year I wraped my hives with r-10 blue foam board cut and rachet strapped on each of my hives. I left a 2" slit at the bottom for the entrance. They survived on 4 frames of honey, but we had a mild winter.
Nod Apiary Products was giving away free plans for a clever migratory cover ripped from 2x4s and sheathed with 1/2 inch plywood. The design was quick and cheap to build, resisted warping, and provided a space on top for formic treatments or feeding (dry sugar or baggies). I filled this space with rigid insulation to moderate both winter & summer temperature extremes.
Thanks :)
Cut your top 2 inches larger then the box. Then use a 1x2 on each end. That will give you 1/2 inch space. Rip down some 1x2 into 3/8 strips. Nail them around the whole top underside. Leave a gap in the middle of one of the two ends 1 inch. This give you an opening for a top entrance. I will see if I can post a picture of mine. It is how I do all of them. I also drill a hole in the center for a feeder bottle.
Thanks :)