[pannu96]

Why don't people in Northern regions use black outer covers. It snowed today and the black covers melted the snow whereas it stayed on the white and metallic covers.

(the white one is covered in snow)



In the summer you can switch them over?

 

[JD's Bees]

My hives are wrapped for winter with the outer covers stacked in storage and most of my hives have an insulated inner cover year round.

 

[jmgi]

Rather than have black colored tops, I would just use 2" foamboard on top, it will do more good imo. I think wrapping the hive walls with tar paper is better for overall solar gain than having a black top.

 

[pannu96]

I personally stopped using tar paper as it rains a lot here and the paper retains moisture. I don't wrap my hives anymore and have a better survival rate now. Some gives have insulated covers, but I don't see any difference in hives that don't have it.

 

[jmgi]

pannu96, you don't see any difference in condensation under the lid between hives with insulation on top and ones without?

 

[Rader Sidetrack]

> It snowed today and the black covers melted the snow whereas it stayed on the white and metallic covers.

Additional solar heat gained with black covers is lost by additional radiation at night using black covers. Unless you are prepared to change the color twice a day, there isn't any benefit to black.

 

[pannu96]

The insulated covers had more condensation on the inside when compared to the normal ones. You cans see droplets on the insulation, but it falls onto the inner cover so it doesn't directly harm the bees.
Rader Sidetrack- I didn't know that, but I will see how it goes.