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Author Topic: How I got here  (Read 2485 times)

Offline cjlong

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How I got here
« on: October 13, 2017, 04:44:16 pm »
Hello,

I am in my third-year of beekeeping.  I live 20 miles west of Richmond, VA.  I got my start inspired by the Flowhive.  Since then, I've read everything I could get my hands on.  I am striving to be treatment-free.  So far,  I've never gotten a hive through the winter.   The first year mites got me, the second year it was largely mismanagement.  This year I'll be going into winter with 5 hives.

I found BeeMaster via google searches on "Constructive Beekeeping".  Somehow I stumbled on Dennis Murrell's now-defunct page on Plexiglass inner covers with, GASP!, no ventilation.  I had been following the top ventilation dogma until I read his page.  That led me to search out others who do this.  I've only found one other.  A link to his page is found below.  Since then, I've built a few plexi inner covers.  I ran a plexi cover with a 1"x3/8" top entrance on one hive from April 2017 to June 1st.  It boomed!  I am going to experiment more with this technique this winter.  I'll run a couple hive with plexiglass inner covers with small top entrance, and a couple others with no top entrance.  It is wonderful to be able to look at the your bees in the winter without chilling them too much.  It is fun to watch them lick up the moisture, too.

It was nice to see that one of the most active posters is a no top-ventilation proponent.  I hope to learn more.

C Long


http://buffalobeefarm.blogspot.com/2010/11/
« Last Edit: October 14, 2017, 12:51:56 pm by cjlong »

Online BeeMaster2

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Re: How I got here
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2017, 09:07:49 pm »
Welcome to Beemaster.
Jim
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Offline cao

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Re: How I got here
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2017, 09:33:21 pm »
Welcome  :happy:

Online Michael Bush

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Re: How I got here
« Reply #3 on: October 16, 2017, 02:29:42 pm »
I lived in a similar climate to Dennis in the panhandle of Nebraska.  No top ventilation was necessary because of the low humidity.  More humidity in Eastern Nebraska (500 miles from my old home) changed things significantly.  You have to do what works for you in your climate.  If no top ventilation is what is working, then I would stick with it.  If you have moisture problems you might want to reconsider.
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Offline cjlong

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Re: How I got here
« Reply #4 on: October 16, 2017, 03:11:47 pm »
Mr. Bush,

Thanks for the admonition.  So far I haven't seen any signs of water dripping on the cluster.

What sort of moisture problems should I be wary of?  Mold?  What should I be looking for?

Again, thanks.

Online Michael Bush

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Re: How I got here
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2017, 02:12:00 pm »
The biggest is water dripping on the cluster or ice forming on the inner cover (or cover) over the cluster.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
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Offline Acebird

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Re: How I got here
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2017, 08:47:12 am »
My advice, take it or leave it, is to tip those hives if you live in VA.  I suppose you could make a shim where the Plexiglas is tipped but it would offend the bee space measurement.  It probably is not a huge problem in the winter months.  I lot of beekeepers don't ventilate the top but they also don't have a condensing plate on top of the bees.  I think top insulation is a must.  Check through the winter and if you see ice accumulation I would get it off the hive.  Ice could form if the cluster size gets too small.
One thing to remember in beekeeping, a few hives is a test but doesn't qualify as an experiment.
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Offline cjlong

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Re: How I got here
« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2017, 11:14:35 am »
Acebird,

Good advice.  The hives are tipped forward.

Four hives will offer a little better test than last year.  This Spring, I kept a plexi lid on until June 1st, before I lost my nerve and went to a slotted wooden inner cover. If I ever get 4-6 hives through winter, I'll try keeping a a plexi cover on one through the entire summer just to see what happens.

Thanks.

Online Kathyp

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Re: How I got here
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2017, 11:59:55 am »
I don't top vent for a couple of reasons even though I live in a very wet climate.  I do use top insulation.  I get those thin sheets from some place like home depot and put them in the top cover over the inner cover.  between tipping the hive and insulating the top, dripping is not an issue.  BUT...it is also important to make sure they are well crammed down before winter.  Less space helps keep the hive warm and dryer. 
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline Acebird

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Re: How I got here
« Reply #9 on: October 18, 2017, 09:11:00 pm »
Funny you should mention cramming them down.  I have a hive 7 medium boxes high and they are at the top.  I put in a bee escape and they didn't go down the first night with temps in the 40's.  Second night they went down.  I am going for another box today.  I think it is Trumps fault.  Even the bees are acting like a whack job. :-)
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Offline little john

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Re: How I got here
« Reply #10 on: October 19, 2017, 06:18:14 am »
Interesting thread.  Despite living in the dampest area (sea-level drained marsh land) in what must be one of the dampest countries in the world - I run most of my hives successfully with sealed, insulated tops and open-mesh bottoms.
 
I still have one or two hives with solid bottom-boards which do become very wet inside at this time of year.  Inserting popsicle sticks between the brood box and bottom board to create a 2mm gap, or inserting cut-up credit cards between brood box and crown board (inner cover) to create a 1mm gap - taking either of these steps is solving this problem until such time as I can get around to making mesh floors for those remaining boxes.

So - in my experience - either top or bottom ventilation will work ok.  My own preference is for bottom ventilation, as it seems to make the most sense - but - I'd suggest you try both methods and see which works best for your own hives, and at your particular location.  Putting some kind of skirt under the Open Mesh Floor is always a good move, or a substantial windbreak around the hives.
'best
LJ
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