I went to an old farm to buy my boxes and all the rest of my equipment to start out with. When I told him I needed a top cover he said "Man you don't have a piece of plywood at the house? I'd hate for you to waste your money. They cost 10 bucks." So I didn't buy one. Then I noticed that in the kits there are inner top covers and then a regular cover so now I'm wondering if I got some bad advice. I have a piece of 3/4 inch painted plywood for a top just sitting right on the boxes. Do I need an inner cover or anything else, or is the plywood good to go? Thanks.
If you use a telescoping outer cover you need an inner cover. The inner cover keeps the bees from gluing down the outer cover with propolis. Inner covers can be homemade using plywood, just as telescoping outer cover can use plywood for the top, covered with metal or just treated to prevent rot or water penetration.
You can use plywood for what is called a Migratory Cover, just a sheet the same size as the box. The migratory cover, being flush with the sides of the box make stacking colonies easier when moving them. The plywood should be an exterior grade or moisture will cause it to separate.
Right now all I have is a piece of plywood the same exact size of the box and I attached another strip of plywood along back so that I can push it flush against the box and the cover covers the box perfectly. I think I have what you call a migratory cover. So what you are saying is that I should build a telescoping cover in addition to this? What is the reason behind this...insulation, rain, idk? Thanks for all yalls help. This is some pretty interesting stuff this bee business. Just trying to get it right.
What he is saying is, what you have is fine, but don't use a telescoping cover alone. It requires an inner cover.
I think 628dirtrooster on you tube uses political signs as an inner cover. And yes, he's got the small hive beetles to prove it. He seems to pull it off though. (love his videos)
Does the "migratory cover " provide enough ventilation? I have a split with a screen bottom, a BrushyMtn inner cover, and a painted piece of plywood on top of that. There were droplets of water on the inside of the inner cover on Saturday. So I'm about to make a screen inner cover.
I think LA is more humid than NC.
A migratory cover provides as much or more ventilation than a hollow tree. My opinion, ventilation is way, way, way over done in today's hobbyist beekeeping.
If you have a telescopic cover you will need the inner cover or you won't be able to pry the telescopic cover off when it's glued down well. If you have a migratory cover you can get a hive tool in to pry it off and you won't need an inner cover.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm#innercover
The telescoping cover is used to resist wind from blowing it off. Although I use a weight on my tele-covers because even they can get blown off. I like to cut a notch in the bottom side of my inner covers that acts as a vent and another entrance. The equipment you use to raise bees is your choice. If what you are using works then keep using it or experiment with something different if you want to fool around.
Banjeezie, A migratory cover will typically be the same width as the box (with just a sliver of overlap), while the front and back of the cover will overhand by a little over 3/4. Glue and nail/screw a 1x2 strip of wood on the ends of the plywood so that the 1x2 strip hangs down over the front and back of the box. This will help keep the plywood from falling off. Prime and paint the top and 1x2 strips, and you are good to go.
You don't need a telescoping cover or an inner cover. If you want to allow bee-space under the top, you can add shims around the bottom edge of the top.
Thanks everyone! I am set and have a good understanding of it all.
Seems like a piece of plywood instead of an inner cover would help with SHB (less nooks and crannies for them to hide). If using a piece of 3/4 plywood as an inner cover, does the lack of an air pocket affect ventilation that much? I ask because the tele cover would be directly on top of the plywood with no rim around the perimeter.
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I use telescoping covers here in south florida because of the horizontal tropical rain we get...migratory covers leak and if you are inspecting on a semi regular basis the bees will never get them fully propolized and the rain gets in.