Telescoping covers

Big John · February 09, 2009, 08:20:12 AM

Has anyone had any experience with the plastic telescoping outer covers, I was talking with another beek yesterday and he said he had a lot of moister dripping from the plastic cover but his wood covers was just fine.

fermentedhiker · February 09, 2009, 09:08:04 AM

I've never seen a plastic one. I have a couple styrofoam ones that work fine. I can see how plastic would be a problem since it won't absorb or transport moisture and it's not a great insulator.

BMAC · February 09, 2009, 09:11:30 AM

I have a couple and never had any issues with them, but I always run inner covers made from wood so maybe the inner cover absorbed any drippin. Not sure.

iddee · February 09, 2009, 12:18:04 PM

Ditto what BMAC said.

The climate may have a lot to do with the outcome.

okiequeenbee · February 09, 2009, 03:38:49 PM

I have some plastic telescoping covers and I like them. They're durable and lightweight, compared to some of the homemade ones my mentor has. I use them with wooden inner covers though. I also have a few plastic inner covers and they seem to warp.

bassman1977 · February 09, 2009, 03:50:39 PM

I have one. I like it. I don't recall ever having moisture problems. I wedge my inner covers up a bit in the winter and I also have SBBs which are probably helping.

Brian D. Bray · February 09, 2009, 10:17:56 PM

Quote from: bassman1977 on February 09, 2009, 03:50:39 PM
I have one. I like it. I don't recall ever having moisture problems. I wedge my inner covers up a bit in the winter and I also have SBBs which are probably helping.

Wedges, shims, tops built with ventilation ports, etc, are necessary to vent the excess moisture that can build up in a hive during the winter. Granulated sugar dumped on top of newspaper works too, although not as well. Fiber board also resists moisture similar to plastic, either would have a tendency to produce a lot of moisture in the hive. When that moisture condenses on the underside of the top it is only a short matter of time before it rains down on the cluster of bees. That rain is often triggered by freezing and thawing so if the moisture freezes then thaws chances are it will rain on the cluster. If it freezes again before the bees can get dry you lose a lot of bees.

A vent at the bottom and the top is necessary for proper venting of moisture. Without a vent at the bottom of the hive the moisture just recirculated through the hive.

jdpro5010 · February 10, 2009, 10:22:23 AM

I also have been using a few of the plastic tele covers. My only concern with them is that you get no insulating value from them at all. If you are in the north ,as I am, the difference between the r-value offered by the wood as compared to the plastic may be enough to make a big difference in your survival rate come spring.

lakeman · February 10, 2009, 03:38:10 PM

The plastic is probably like a metal roof on a building, if exposed directly to the air. at night when it gets below freezing, if there is high humidity, frost forms on the underside, then when the sun comes out it melts, and starts to dripping.

jdpro5010 · February 10, 2009, 04:10:53 PM

Quote from: lakeman on February 10, 2009, 03:38:10 PM
The plastic is probably like a metal roof on a building, if exposed directly to the air. at night when it gets below freezing, if there is high humidity, frost forms on the underside, then when the sun comes out it melts, and starts to dripping.

You may be right on that one lakeman. Makes good sense to me.