Venting

GSF · May 28, 2014, 03:06:26 PM

My hives are in the sun for the most part of the day. For the last couple of weeks some of the stronger ones have started bearding. I added a super on two of the hives and it seem to help one of them.

When it comes to venting I want to make sure I understood it right. The flat side of my inner cover is on top of the excluder. The telescopic cover is on top of the inner cover. The inner cover has a hole in the middle about 2"x4"s. Around the edges is some thick lattice like board. I have about a two inch gap in it for the air to escape.

When I vent I place two pieces about 3/4 to an inch thick on top of the inner cover causing the telescopic cover to lift up. I got to thinking, I guess this is right. The only other way I see is to lift the inner cover up off of the excluder using the same method. My concern there would be SHB & WM moving in by the truckloads.

Another method I considered is to build a modified inner cover with screen wire and a lot more gaps. Any thoughts?

Kathyp · May 28, 2014, 03:22:09 PM

most of us just poke a stick under there and make a little gap. you don't need to get to complicated with it.

but

make sure that they are capable of defending whatever opening you make. you don't want them robbed.

10framer · May 28, 2014, 05:42:06 PM

yeah, we used to set match sticks under one corner of the migratory tops and call it done. in the age of the hive beetle i'm not sure how good of an idea that is, though.

Greg · May 28, 2014, 06:31:16 PM

I always take a look if the bearding isn't happening in all the hives. What I look for is SHB larvae starting to slime the hive. If you have a lot of capped honey on there, you might want to consider pulling it off and extracting and maybe even reducing your hive size so they don't have to defend as much volume.

As it gets warmer, there will be more bearding especially in the afternoons. Bearding at other times is a cause to investigate. And with the afternoon bearding, the SHB are free to deposit their eggs without as much harassment.

iddee · May 28, 2014, 07:00:21 PM

I've only been keeping them about 38 years, I haven't been at it long enough to see a reason for venting. I smile when I see one or more bearding. It tells me I have a strong hive.

Wolfer · May 30, 2014, 11:47:06 PM

Quote from: iddee on May 28, 2014, 07:00:21 PM
I've only been keeping them about 38 years, I haven't been at it long enough to see a reason for venting. I smile when I see one or more bearding. It tells me I have a strong hive.

Yep, this tells me that the temp in the hive is exactly where they want it. If it was too hot they would be in there fanning. Too cold they would be covering brood.

Remember, while we're comfortable at 72 deg the bees favorite temp is about 94 deg.

They want to control the temp in the hive. If there's too much ventilation it works them a lot harder blocking it off.
Woody Roberts

Kathyp · May 31, 2014, 12:27:22 AM

+ a hot environment was the only control i ever found for chalkbrood.

Dallasbeek · May 31, 2014, 12:50:05 AM

I'll bet a lot of us will go out tomorrow and pull those sticks out of our hives. I will, Iddee.

Gary

jayj200 · May 31, 2014, 03:53:24 PM

every time I get stung 50 times I vent **** **** **** **** ***

marktrl · May 31, 2014, 09:38:16 PM

No one opens a vent hole in a tree for 'em. My view is a vent is just another opening for SHB and moths to get in. I keep my entrances reduced to about 4" all the time, no matter how hot it is. When they beard heavy the beetles can't get in.

Dallasbeek · June 01, 2014, 09:24:10 AM

Marktrl, do you use a solid bottom? If screened, critters would be able to get in, but the theory if IPM is that screened helps the bees fight SHB because they can't just climb back up off the bottom and it helps the bees not have a lot of clutter on the bottom. In a tree, the opening usually is at the top, isn't it? Dr. Thomas Seeley says the bees prefer an opening of 15 square centimeters, however that translates to a Langstroth hive's entrance -- i think 4 inches would be about right.

I opened up an owl box that bees had used to set up housekeeping. A little small for their purposes and old owl nest material about two inches or more on the bottom. Also full of SHB to the point that not much could be saved. The honey was polluted by them and the bees absconded from the hive I put them in 3 times. I brought them back twice, but then figured they knew what was best for them. All I got out of it was a little bit of wax.

marktrl · June 01, 2014, 07:13:47 PM

I use a screened bottom with an oil tray under so the screen is closed to the vermin. SHB can climb right through a screened bottom.

Dallasbeek · June 01, 2014, 08:07:42 PM

I have one hive like that and the other just screened. The one with no oil tray seems to doing okay without it, but I need to put something under it. It's over hard clay soil, so the SHB larvae have trouble going underground to develop. If I find much problem with SHB or varroa, I'll do a powdered sugar shake.