Can I cover innercover vent hole with screen?

[powersitbe]

In my five years of beekeeping I've noticed that week hives are often entered by either wax moths or robber bees through the inner cover vent hole. Lately, I've taken to covering that hole on new or weak hives with #8 hardware mesh (stapled to the top of the cover). I then see wax moths on the inner cover and occasional bees trying to get in. So it seems to work for my concerns, but am I missing out on any reason why I should leave that hole open?
William J. Powers
Waxhaw, NC

[Brent Bean]

As long as they don’t fill it up with propolis, which would imped air flow, sounds like a good idea.

[Michael Bush]

I often screen mine so that I can put a "attic" on for ventilation. If I'm making my own I use a hole saw to make the hole the size of a mason jar lid so I can use it as a feeder and screen it on the bottom so the jar fits into the hole and the bees can get the syrup and I can fill it without facing bees.

When I don't, I screen it on TOP so I can put the jar on top of the screen and the bees can get to it and I can change it without facing the bees.

The downside is that the ants can move into the inner cover and the bees can't run them out.

[Brent Bean]

Michael, you talked about and attic. I am planning on using Mite-Away this fall so as per directions I will need an 1 ½ inch spacer. So I decided to get double duty out of the device. By drilling about 6, 3/4 holes in it and screening the holes. I place it above the inner cover and it provides an attic for better ventilation. It has seemed to work well and the bees didn’t build any burr comb above the inner cover. I seen a lot less bearding this year and it’s been above normal hot.

[Michael Bush]

With 1 1/2" they probably won't fill it with burr, but I've seen them do it in that kind of space. Any more space than that and I'd PLAN on them filling it eventually.

Sounds like a good ventilation system.

[beecron]

I've had an attic in my hives for about 4 years now with approx 4" of space above the inner cover and get nothing built up in it. Don't know why.

[Michael Bush]

>Don't know why.

Because you keep enough empty supers on?

[beecron]

Could bee...