migratory covers in colder areas?

[MrGreenThumb]

Anyone use/used migratory covers in areas where winters can be cold for months? If you had, what are you comments about it? Did you have lots of condensation? What changes did you make to your hives to ready them for winter when using a migratory cover?

thx

[Dan Williamson]

Anyone use/used migratory covers in areas where winters can be cold for months? If you had, what are you comments about it? Did you have lots of condensation? What changes did you make to your hives to ready them for winter when using a migratory cover?

thx

You can see pics of my migratory covers on the link by my signature.

You can see the type of weather we get in some other photos. I love them. I have a feed hole that I can use to feed without opening up the hive. I have a dado slot in the top which allows me to open and close the upper entrance when needed. In winter it gives upper entrance/ventilation.

[peggjam]

I also use them, and like them better than the telescoping covers. It allows me to slide them together for wintering:), the whole shared heat thing:).

[Michael Bush]

I do but I also have top entrances so the moist air can get out.

[greenbeekeeping]

I personally prefer migratory covers. Some of the ones that I have have holes in them for feeding with buckets. Planning on building some more this fall. Some of my hives on pallets have bottom boards on top. haha.

[Hillside]

I have a mixture of migratory and telescoping. As I replace equipment I'll switch to all migratory. They're cheaper and they work just fine.

I do make some changes for winter. I put a 1 inch foam board under the cover. The foam board has a small vent hole in the middle and I prop the cover up a bit so the vent works. This way the winter wind can't blow in, but the moist air can get out. It also gives a top entrance if the bees really need it.

I skipped the insulating step last year and regretted it. This year I'm going back to the proven technique.

Oh. I've also found that as the covers age, I have to sometimes pound a piece of aluminum on top. Sometimes the migratory covers start to leak just a bit as they age and weather.

[Chef Isaac]

Why do they say tht you do not need to use inner covers when using migratory tops but when using telescoping tops, you should use inner covers??

[Hillside]

Why do they say tht you do not need to use inner covers when using migratory tops but when using telescoping tops, you should use inner covers??

That's an easy one. Even I know the answer.

With migratory covers, you can get your hive tool in there to pry them open. With telescoping covers, it's much harder to do so.

[Chef Isaac]

I havent really had much of a problem with the telescoping covers. I sorta liek them. I use both of them and really do not much have a prefernece.