Migratory Cover Ventilation

[Sundance]

I am going to palletize my hives and will be limited to migratory covers.

I am concerned about ventilation. Are there any ideas (besides a stick under the cover) for ventilation?

Perhaps an inner cover and drilled holes in the end cleats???

Thanks as usual!

[BubbaBob]

Bruce, I use migratory covers with no additional ventilation with no problems. If I were going to ventilate, I think I'd go with screened top covers, with the rims drilled.

BubbaBob

[loggermike]

Agree with Bob.I wouldnt worry about it.We never used any other type of lid.Some of them tend to ventilate themselves(warping,wax and propolis buildup).There is also a 3/4 inch hole drilled in most boxes that we leave open year round.If it gets really hot,we may shove the top super back a bit for extra ventilation.

[Sundance]

Thanks BB and LM

[chemistbert]

Yeah my migratory cover ventilated itself by warping nicely.

[Curry]

I'm of the opinion that screen bottom boards provide plenty of ventilation, without a top vent.

Yesterday I noticed all my hives busy and happy, except for one... where all the bees were on the outside. It dawned on me that this was a swarm trap hive that I had caught- that didn't have a screen bottom board, and the bees were all cranky and hot without the ventilation, so they all came outside. I put a sbb on they and now they're happy like the others. I rarely see bees fanning the entrance with a sbb, which tells me that ventilation is about right for them.

[Michael Bush]

I'm not palletizing them, but I use a lot of migratory covers, both home made and commercial. I put a shim on each side and make a top entrance AND a vent.

http://www.bushfarms.com/images/MigratoryTopEntrance1.JPG
http://www.bushfarms.com/images/MigratoryTopEntrance2.JPG
http://www.bushfarms.com/images/TypicalHiveMyHive.JPG

[Sundance]

Thanks for the pics Micheal (I always catch myself typing Mike.......).

I like it........

Rather than build elaborate SSB??? Couldn't I just cover a grid (like a queen excluder) and place it over the standard bottom board/pallet? Thus eliminating the bottom entrance with the use of covers like your??

Anyone know how much I can overlap the box side with migratory pallets? (not here yet to measure)

1/4"??? For rain protection......

[Gregg]

Overlap the box side? Not sure I know what you mean. Go beyond the side of the box? IMO I wouldn't do this (or don't need to worry about it). On the clip pallets with the U shaped clips, the hives sit pretty tight together. With the W shaped clips there is a little room between them, but most of these pallets have U shaped clips. When I make lids I just rip a sheet of plywood in three pieces (48" divided by 3 = 16"). The outside of standard 10 frame boxes measures 16 & 1/4 inches (supposed to anyway), so my lids don't go all the way to the outer edge of the box, but the hive is covered.

[Sundance]

If I shim the cover up for ventilation and top entrance wouldn't a bit of overlap, even 1/4", keep the rain out?

[loggermike]

I cut mine like Gregg but cut the first 2 rips off the ply 16.25 then use glue and a brad gun to nail strips to the edges of the last rip.So they all end up 16.25.But this may be more work than neccessary as its probably the propolis seal that keeps water out more than anything.A strong hive never seems to have problems with moisture in winter,but weak ones always do.

[Michael Bush]

I think I'll cut my next ones the size of the tops without cleats (19 7/8" by 16 2/4"), but then I don't have to worry about driving with them anywhere. I figure a brick and a day and they will be stuck like glue anyway. I have not seen rain to be a problem.

[Michael Bush]

>Rather than build elaborate SSB??? Couldn't I just cover a grid (like a queen excluder) and place it over the standard bottom board/pallet? Thus eliminating the bottom entrance with the use of covers like your??

Sure. Some of mine are just a slatted rack (which I already had quite a few of) with #8 hardware cloth on the bottom which is then setting on four by four rails that I use for a hive stand. But you could do it any number of other ways.