Ventilation holes?

[Fat Nancy]

I was wondering if any of you guys drill extra ventilation holes in your hives. I read some where about a commercial producer in Missouri who use to drill 3/4 inch holes in the hive bodies for extra ventilation. Good idea? or not?

Fat Nancy

[Pete0]

From what I recall of the posts here, most folks don't. I don't. Extra ventilation can be provided by turning the inner cover over with an a slot cut in the edge, inserting an Imirie shim, or just propping up the inner cover. I guess the worst part of drilling a hole in the hive body is having the material to close it at a later time.

I have screened bottom boards on my 3 hives and will try adding slatted racks and see if that helps with ventilation in the spring buildup.

Good Luck!
Pete0

[Michael Bush]

A SBB and a notched inner cover or some other top opening usually will provide enough ventilation. You can also prop open the inner cover. I'm using a top entrance which is just a migratory cover on a couple of shingle shims so it angles to an opening. This runs the long way on the hive so there's a 19" by 1/4" or so gap at the top. This is a lot of top ventilation.

Bjorn drills some standard sized holes in all of them and keeps corks handy that fit that size hole. That's a useful system. I never liked that I find a hole in a box and can't figure out how to easily shut it when I want to use a bee escape or I want to move a hive.

[BjornBee]

Good point. If I need to go out early in the morning to move a hive, I do not need to flip or move an inner cover because of a hole. In fact, none of my inner covers even has a notch. I do have a hole in almost all my second brood boxes. If I need to move a hive, I flip the metal entrance reducer over (I love those), and just cork (I also found a large box of foam peanuts the right size) the hole shut and away I go. I personally do not like bees coming and going from the inner cover/top area. It can make inspecting a little more harder.

The big plus I found is that as I add a super in the spring, I plug the hole in the second brood box. All my supers have holes also. So as I plug the brood box hole, add a super with a hole, the bees automatically find the "new hole" and start working or at least "finding" the super. It keeps me from asking that same old queston every spring you hear many ask "My bee won't move up in the super".

Regardless which method you use, ventalation is a must. Moisture kills.

[guatebee]

could ventilation holes be "covered" with large- hole screen, or is this an invitation to propolize the shut?

[Michael Bush]

They could. And yes, they will probably propolize it shut.

[odfrank]

What are the thoughts on ventilation slots in wood excluders? Slot below for brood chamber entry, or above for super entry?

[Michael Bush]

If you're going to use an excluder it makes sense. The bees get to choose where they want to end up without having to squeeze through the excluder and it adds some ventilation. But I think you'd still need some up top when the hive got taller.

[Antero]

OdFrank

I have a 1" by 3/8" slot on my inner cover all year.I think it helps ventilation and makes it easier to deliver nectar.

Terry

[roger eagles]

same here as above,only 2" long.Got loads of bees using both entrances

[BjornBee]

Fat nancy, I have the information you requested. I am more than happy to send it to you outside the forum private email setup. My email is mikeandida@cs.com, contact me directly if interested.