Mann lake inner cover???

[RangerBrad]

I bought my wooden ware from mann lake. The inner cover is not flush on one side and cupped on the other but, rather the cover itself is in the center of a frame. (I hope I described this properly) so when you lay it down on either side you will have a small space under it. I am wondering when it sits on top of the brood chamber if it will cause a violation of bee space( by causing to much space between the top of the frames and the bottom of the inner cover) or if this is normal for the deminsions of Mann lake wooden ware? All advice is appreciated. Thanks, Brad

[John Schwartz]

Sounds like it was either faulty to begin with or warped from moisture. I would call 'em up and ask for replacement.

[RangerBrad]

no, it's not faulty or warped. I may not have described well enough. It is made like this. All the ones at the distributors were. It's a wooden frame with the flat inner cover in the middle so there is a little frame all the way around on both sides of the flat piece. Brad   (This is hard to describe)

[Kathyp]

that's the way it's supposed to be.  it has a rim and leaves a space between the top of the frame and top of the inner cover?  mine are deeper on one side than the other.  i usually use it deep side to the hive.  pollen patties fit that way.  also, when i put a pail feeder on, i put little pieces of wood under  the cover, on top of the frames, to keep the top from sagging with the weight.

[homer]

that's the way it's supposed to be.  it has a rim and leaves a space between the top of the frame and top of the inner cover?  mine are deeper on one side than the other.  i usually use it deep side to the hive.  pollen patties fit that way.  also, when i put a pail feeder on, i put little pieces of wood under  the cover, on top of the frames, to keep the top from sagging with the weight.

:-\

Exactly right!  The space isn't a violation of bee space, it allows for bee space, otherwise there isn't enough room for the bees to come up and over the top of the frames.

[RangerBrad]

Thank's folk's, That makes me feel better. The distributor said there is more space on one side than the other but, I sure couldn't tell by looking. Brad

[Brian D. Bray]

Thank's folk's, That makes me feel better. The distributor said there is more space on one side than the other but, I sure couldn't tell by looking. Brad

The difference in space, one side verses the other is 1/4 inch or less.  With one side down you get a bee space of about 3/8 of an inch wiith the opposite side down you get a bee space of approximately 1/2 inch.  It's not enough to worry about, but if you find them building burr comb along the tops of the frames I'd turn the inner top over and see it that tendency continues.

[Two Bees]

Putting the inner cover with the rim side down on the hive body will give you a larger space for the bees to move across the top of the frames as mentioned above.

Also, when the inner cover in placed on the hive this way, the half-moon vent hole looks like a frown :( and this allows the moisture from the hive to move directly out of the hive without going up through the inner cover hole and then, out the half-moon hole.  I flipped my inner covers during the winter for this reason. 

During the summer, you need a lot more ventilation than just the half-moon vent.

[Doby45]

Better idea, use a migratory top.  :-D

[RangerBrad]

I don't have any vent holes around the rim of mine. Wish I did. Brad

[Kathyp]

mine don't either.  you can  make your own, or just put a stick under the lid when it gets hot.  i really don't want a hole in mine, but our winters are probably much colder than yours  :-)

[Michael Bush]

The side with less space goes down.