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Author Topic: Is it normal in the south  (Read 3074 times)

Offline FloridaGardener

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Re: Is it normal in the south
« Reply #20 on: July 15, 2020, 08:55:47 am »
The telescoping lid I made has a 2.5 inch pine rim, and inside it under 3/8 exterior ply primed & painted...is 1 inch R5 insulation board. 
     The inner lid with bee space-side down and 1/8" mesh over the escape stops the bees from chewing the insulation. The mesh makes top on the inner lid into yet another SHB jail. SHB are pushed out of the top of the hive body and stay between the inner lid and telescoping lid. Where, I hope, they starve in hopes of sneaking back in. Usually I smash them when I open the top.
     I have the $11 sheet metal lid cover from Dadant nailed to the top of the telescoping lid.  This is what I was wondering about painting to keep the hive cooler.

     And yes I have a top entrance for heat vent, as well as a reduced bottom entrance when the hive is big enough. The bees all prefer the top entrances. They will festoon on the top in the evening, instead of bearding on the front.  Even though I know there's plenty of room in the hive.

« Last Edit: July 15, 2020, 10:27:32 am by FloridaGardener »
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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Is it normal in the south
« Reply #21 on: July 15, 2020, 08:56:09 am »
When you put your covers on with insulation in them, pull them all the way to the back so that there is no place for them to start chewing on the insulation. They have never started chewing on the sides or back. It is always on the front where my top entrance is.
Jim Altmiller
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Online Ben Framed

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Re: Is it normal in the south
« Reply #22 on: July 15, 2020, 09:17:07 am »
What I did which may be incorrect, is cut my insulation board the exact same size as the top box. I laid the insulation board down as a top, then laid my sheet of Advantech on top of this. The resourceful bees eventually chewed a hole from the inside to the outside between the top box and Advantech top on the front. I suppose for ventilation. Perhaps they needed this extra ventilation both winter and summer? 
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Offline Acebird

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Re: Is it normal in the south
« Reply #23 on: July 15, 2020, 09:21:06 am »
Wow where did this thread go?
Yesterday I went into the hive and found most of the bees missing.  Well that must mean they swarmed and I didn't know it.  Or else it seriously got robbed and I didn't know it.  So I down sized the hive.
I was able to mow the 5 ft weeds with a hand mower around the hive with no problem and then stand directly in front of the hive with no problem.  Maybe the aggression was they were getting ready to swarm.
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Brian Cardinal
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Offline FloridaGardener

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Re: Is it normal in the south
« Reply #24 on: July 15, 2020, 10:25:23 am »
Sorry, Acebird....we drifted from "hot" (fizzy) bees to "hot" (thermally challenged) bees.

 :oops:
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Offline Acebird

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Re: Is it normal in the south
« Reply #25 on: July 15, 2020, 06:11:51 pm »
No problem.  I've done it myself.
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Brian Cardinal
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