William G Lord <[log in to unmask] writes: >I read the discussion of plastic inner covers with interest. I am >wondering how many beekeepers actually use inner covers? I used >them when I first began to keep bees, but abandoned them shortly >thereafter. I consider the hive top of choice to be a single sheet >of plywood, with or without cleats fore and aft. I paint my tops, >but I know some beekeepers who just flip theirs every so often to >allow the sun to melt the accumulated wax and propolis on the >exposed side. I'm relatively new at this (just going into my 4th season), so I am definitely interested in hearing from others on this topic. I use an inner cover & telescoping cover on each of my 10 hives. It seems to work well for me, providing the right balance of ventilation and insulation. I rarely move my hives, however, so the advantage of "migratory covers" (i.e. a sheet of plywood as described by Mr. Lord) and close packing of hives is not so important to me. Also, the winters in the Boston area are a bit more severe than in North Carolina, so winter insulation is much more important to me. The majority of hobby beekeepers in my area use the same inner/telescoping cover combination that I do, but most of the commercial operators use the "migratory cover" due to the advantages of close packing, and reduced equipment cost per hive. >I have heard all the arguments about ventilation and insulation but >find that one half inch or thicker plywood provides adequate >insulation from the summer sun in North Carolina (summer highs in >the upper 90's) and I never see condensation on the covers in the >spring and winter. The trick to this is the covers seldom form a >tight seal, between slight warping and propolis buildup, so good >ventilation is insured. I move my bees twice a year and these >covers allow close stacking of hives and are not prone to blow off >unless brand new. They should still be roped down, as should >telescoping covers. Murphy's law dictates that covers only blow >off when the bee truck is being tailgated by a new Mercedes. or a police cruiser. Rick Hough, a hobby beekeeper from Hamilton, MA, USA (NE of Boston) [log in to unmask]