> Sealing the inner cover and outer cover keeps out ants (usually) but it
> also stops all air flow upward and out in the colony.  In the summer (in
> Indiana) I went so far as to place blocks between the inner and outer
> covers to increase the volume of air flow possible up through the hive
> and out the top.  Comments?   MIKE   Suagr Land, TEXAS   [log in to unmask]
 
    Every time I've tried to increase the ventilation by propping up the
outer cover (summer or winter), the bees have closed up the vent screen in
the inner cover with propolis.  They seem to prefer a tight hive, and it's a
losing battle to argue with them about it.
 
John E. Taylor III     W3ZID     | "The opinions expressed are those of the
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]      | writer and not of Rohm and Haas Company."