Jerry sent "I've not seen a commercial person yet  who uses  telescoping lids.  That's where I found the cleats flush with the top of the box, and wide enough to stop just short of the hand-holds.  Same beekeeper who used a combo bottom board/top."

We have a metal covered insulated commercial lid that fits 4 and 6 way pallets. We have found that the bees winter much better with the added insulation. Cuts our losses (need to do a bit of research to document our experience) but anecdotally the losses are much lower than a standard commercial wooden lid. They are a bit heavier but they stack and handle very well. We are in north central Kansas and the winter has been horrendous compared to normal. Bees with insulated covers doing well but not as good with uninsulated. I will report our studied results. Will send a load to California this fall and try them on almonds next spring. 
Gary
Manhattan, Kansas 
 

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