Is top ventilation really necessary for removal of condensation inside a
hive in winter?  I made a Plexiglas inner cover to find out what’s happening
in one of my hives.  This hive has no top ventilation or upper entry of any
kind.  The below links show photographs of this two-story nuc equipped as
follows:

 

Standard bottom board with entrance reduced to ½ inch

Two Medium 5 frame boxes

Inner cover with Plexiglas insert – no upper entry cut into the inner cover

Outer cover insulated with 1 inch thick blue styrofoam

 

This is a shot of the nuc in summer.  I would describe this colony as a
strong nuc with ample stores going into winter.

 

http://i1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff397/jrhills/BeePix01.jpg

 

And this is a shot of the same nuc through the Plexiglas cover.  Outside
temperature: 22F

 

http://i1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff397/jrhills/BeePix05.jpg

 

In two weeks of observation I have seen little or no condensation with
outside air temperatures ranging from slightly below zero to 30 degrees.
What little I do see is on the edges of the Plexiglas, some of it frozen.  A
very small amount, closest to the cluster, is in the form of water droplets.
Often I see a few bees who are having a winter drink from the droplets.  (I
guess I could put champagne in the division board feeder on New Year’s Eve!)

 

These observations question the need for top ventilation, at least in a
wooden hive in this configuration.   Comments appreciated.

 

Jeff Hills

Dorset, VT

 

 

 

 

 


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