Screened Inner Cover?

[memcnult]

I saw that Dadant has a screened inner cover -- anyone used one of these?

I've got the girls on frames of the plastic HSC and while they're slowly but surely accepting it for brood, they're also absolutely GLUEING it to the cover (it's just a one-piece not telescoping cover now, no inner cover). I'm going to add an inner cover with the hopes of discouraging this as it makes getting into the hive really, really tough. I saw that Dadant has a screened inner cover, and was wondering if they'd be even less likely to attach to this vs. a standard inner cover. Anyone used these, and/or have thoughts about the best way to get these girls to stop sealing the frames to the roof?

[Ross]

Some hives just glue worse than others. I have one like that. If the hive likes to propolize, they will just propolize the screen solid. Adding a top shim to raise the top a 1/4" or so might help, or they may just build burr comb. Easiest is to learn to twist the top as you raise it to break the adhesion. This works best with flat plywood tops without end bars.

[memcnult]

Yeah, my current cover has the end boards which makes twisting impossible. Currently I get it off (well, I've only had to once, this is a pretty new package) by sliding it towards me - but I'm a bit worried that this squishes the frames too much together. 10 frames, so I wouldn't think I'm really hurting anything, but not sure.

[blammer]

I have nothign but screened inner top cover, but get em from Reel's bee supply.

No problems with propolizing or anythign with them. Plus it's easy to remove the top and smoke before taking the screen off.

[hummingberd]

what's the premise behind these screened inner covers? Better ventilation?

[JohnBeeMan]

>>I've got the girls on frames of the plastic HSC and while they're slowly but surely accepting it for brood, they're also absolutely GLUEING it to the cover (it's just a one-piece not telescoping cover now, no inner cover).

These are the two things I dicovered wrong with HSC. They will gue it to anyting - other HSC, inner covers, wooden frames with wax foundation.

I can understand some of it - they need some place for drone cells. Maybe HSC should be used with at least one frame of drone cell foundation as possible solution.

[JaiPea]

Give the bees a place to build drone cells.

Use a holesaw to drill 2" holes in the bottom corners of each frame.

[memcnult]

Well, it's 6 frames of HSC and 4 frames of 'regular' foundation/comb, so they've got some options for drones.

Regardless, a friend stopped by a store and got me a regular inner cover that I'm going to try out -- I'll report back!