Inner covers?

[tireman]

Do you use them or not? I haven't seen any shb's up there but have seen some wood roaches.

[Vance G]

I use one of soundboard in the winter to help absorb and dissipate moisture.  I don't have any other use for one in my management.  But I don't use a telescoping cover either.  If I use one of those I would probably favor a rectangle of a feed sack.

[AR Beekeeper]

My bees use much propolis, if I did not have inner covers the telescoping cover would soon be impossible to remove.  I prefer covers made from plywood with a hole cut so the bees may be fed through the top.  When not feeding, the hole is covered so the beetles do not have access to that area.

[AllenF]

I use them.

[Moots]

I use them....however, I get the feeling that most folks around me don't.  Most of mine are ventilated. 

[tireman]

So far, I'm using them but I didn't cut the center hole in it. They are a little over 3/4 thick with a price if 3/16 luan for the center. I've got 4 3/8 by 3/4 dados for a top entrance. I've heard the original ones with the holes could give the beetles a place to hide so I am trying something different.

[dprater]

I use ones I make that have two holes with screen over it so I can use a quart jar for feeding. I have no exit in it for bee to get in or out, and a empty box on top of that so it can vent or hold traped air in the winter.
Have not had any problems with not having a top exit in my inner covers for bee that I know of, trees don't have top exits.
As long as its vented does anybody see any problems I may have with not having a top exit?

dan

[Moots]

So far, I'm using them but I didn't cut the center hole in it. They are a little over 3/4 thick with a price if 3/16 luan for the center. I've got 4 3/8 by 3/4 dados for a top entrance. I've heard the original ones with the holes could give the beetles a place to hide so I am trying something different.

Tireman,
Mine have the tradtional hole, if needed, I can cover it with a feeder, but typically, it's always open and hasn't been a problem.  While I have no first hand experience, I read that if you don't giive the bees the ability to "police" that area, it can be problematic....Ants, etc. etc.

[MsCarol]

[/quote]
  While I have no first hand experience, I read that if you don't give the bees the ability to "police" that area, it can be problematic....Ants, etc. etc.
[/quote]

OK along that line. I use the inner cover "upside down" to use the space as an upper entrance. They do use it. Up until a couple days ago I had either a feeder or dry sugar on top of the board along with another box. I took the box off and cleared out the sugar as nectar is now coming in.

But I realize the telescoping cover sits rather close to the board. Someone else mentioned SHB hiding up there. Should I shim it to allow the bees to patrol between the inner and outer covers? If so, how much space?

[Leather Jim]

When you pull the cover off have your hive tool in your hand, works real well on those shb :)

[forrestcav]

I use one also. I use it with the rim up and oval hole for feeder. I always have girls up there. Last year I had wood ants up there, but no SHB. Sprinkled cinnamon and ants left.

[Nyleve]

OOO. Cinnamon? This works? I always have lots of trouble with ants. Not yet, of course, because it's still absolute zero here in Ontario, but eventually...

[Cedar Hill]

The reason ants go onto the inner cover is because of the moisture they find in that enclosed area.   If you raise the front edge of the outer cover onto the front edge of the inner cover, your ant problem will solve itself.   OMTCW

[Nyleve]

Really I think that the ants go I there because they can smell the honey. They climb up the base and then onto the hive and manage to get in through various small crevices. I have been battling this since day one. I partially solved it by putting the hive itself up on feet that stand in small containers of vegetable oil. But it's a tricky process and sometimes I lose bees in the containers too. I'd like to just discourage them altogether.

[iddee]

Place your inner cover with the 3/8 shim up, no ant problem. The bees will run them out.
Place your inner cover with the 1/8, or flat side up, and you will have ant problems.
Mscarol, the measure you are asking about is 3/8 inch.

[BlueBee]

I like a cheap plastic film inner cover that keeps the bees from gluing down the outer cover and also lets me watch da bees.  :)

[MsCarol]

Thanks iddee,

I thought it might be, but thought I had best check with the experts. That little bit of shimming will offer a bit of ventilation too as well as help prevent bee squashing should one of the girls get between the covers as I am setting on the top.

I really hate squashing the gals. :'(

[tjc1]

In the winter I have the inner cover with the 3/8 side down so that the small entrance hole acts as a vent/upper entrance (I have the bottom board in for the winter and the entrance reduced to 1/3). I close the inner oval feeding hole with a piece of flashing and duct tape, then an empty super on top, in which I put a bat of r-19 fiberglass insulation cut to fit snugly with the paper side down, and then the telescoping cover. This does a great job of conserving heat and keeping moisture from condensing on the inner cover and dripping down on the bees. When I open the hive on a 50 degree day and take out the insulation, the inner cover is warm as toast. When warm enough, I leave the insulation out, remove the flashing and put a feed bucket inside the super.

Spring/summer I flip the cover which provides an upper entrance across the top of the inner cover and down the center hole. When it gets to be full summer, I cover the inner cover with a piece of aluminum screen (cut to fold over the edges of the inner cover to hold it in place), and I can prop the telescoping cover on shims to increase ventilation for honey drying. If I have any fear of robbing, it is easy to cover the small entrance hole of the inner cover and leave the shims so they still have plenty of ventilation.