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)
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