Inner cover..up or down

[raybb]

Hi all, please help with this basic question. For winter, which side of the inner cover goes down? The deep side or the flat side? And please tell me why again.

Thanks, Ray

[Mike Gillmore]

Everyone probably has their own way of using inner covers. Most of my hives will have an empty box above the upper brood box with dry sugar on the top of the frames over the winter. In this configuration the inner cover will be on top of the empty box with the deep part of the inner cover facing up, the notch in front to drain moisture.

With the inner cover directly on the bood box....

In the winter, I put the deep side of the inner cover facing down. This gives the bees a little more overhead space for the cluster to move across the top bars when they have moved into the upper brood box.

In warmer weather, the flat side goes down. If you put the deep side down when they are active they usually end up building lots of burr comb on the inner cover. Too much space.

[Ravenseye]

I got so confused that I just left them notch side down all year. If the bees want to change it around, they can just go ahead and do so!

[Michael Bush]

Either will work fine. I prefer the deeper side down as it seems to squish some bees when it's the flat side down.

[iddee]

With the deep side down, the ants will build a nest between the tops, as the bees can't get in there to remove them.

With the deep side up, the bees can't traverse the top bars.

I build my own inner covers with a 3/8 inch deep on both sides.

[WVbeekeeper]

>I build my own inner covers with a 3/8 inch deep on both sides.

me too, and i leave the the notch down.

[raybb]

Thanks for the replies. It makes sense when you can visualize the problems/benefits.

Ray

[Aspera]

I use the deep side/notch down, and place a plastic coat hanger above the front flat side to provide an extra bee space in front. This works well year 'round provided you take the time to scrap burr comb from the top bars. With a hive top feeder in place, I often forgo the inner cover altogether.