Condensation in abelo

[Antipodes]

Sounds fair Cuckmere C. Having a nice full hive of bees seems to me to make the most difference with respect to the removal of excessive condensation moisture. I've monitored and experimented with ventilation a bit. A beekeeper here (with 50 years experience) was incredulous when he saw my hives had no ventilation holes in their roofs.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

am still finding a fair bit of water on crown boards when i lift off the roof on some of my Abelos, but not others

one even had water up to the lugs of the frames in the runners of the brood chamber which i had to tip out

no apparent gaps etc in how the boxes were sitting

 

[Madge]

am still finding a fair bit of water on crown boards when i lift off the roof on some of my Abelos, but not others

one even had water up to the lugs of the frames in the runners of the brood chamber which i had to tip out

no apparent gaps etc in how the boxes were sitting

Just like some humans sweat more than others, I’ve found some colonies produce more condensation than others.

But I’ve never noticed condensation on the underside of an Abelo crown board. Usually condensation puddles in the gully behind the lug risers (as you’ve found in your colonies). (In Swienties with their insert risers, the water can trickle out and down the sides.)

Either way - I don’t think you need to worry about it.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

ok, thanks

the majority of it has been on top of crown board and under roof

 

[Erichalfbee]

ok, thanks

the majority of it has been on top of crown board and under roof

So it’s not from the bees

 

[Cuckmere couple]

can it not come up through the circular vent in the crown board

i have the vented plastic circle in the middle and hte white block in the oblong section...

 

[Erichalfbee]

Why have you got the crownboard open?
Yes then it has come from the bees. Unsurprisingly

 

[Cuckmere couple]

so...take out the vent and put the solid circular block in?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes
Seal the top. Do you have omf?
There’s no need to have the crownboard open unless there’s a feeder on it.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

yes...OMF and just left the plastic circular vented piece in as it came

will remove and add the solid piece

 

[Madge]

can it not come up through the circular vent in the crown board

i have the vented plastic circle in the middle and hte white block in the oblong section...

Yes! That can happen. Despite the plugs in the crown board, it’s not a complete tight-fitting seal - particularly if they haven’t yet propolised the grid inserts below the plugs.

PS: just checking: I assumed you had in place the vents, topped by the polystyrene disc? If so, that’s fine, despite condensation above CB.

 

[Madge]

yes...OMF and just left the plastic circular vented piece in as it came

will remove and add the solid piece

You don’t need to do that. The discs are fine, and the slight condensation between the crown board and the roof does not matter. Just check that het plugs are in place before closing the lid.

 

[Erichalfbee]

But why do you need to have the crown board vented? Can you explain the reasoning behind that because it makes no sense to me

 

[Cuckmere couple]

i hadnt put the circular cover over the vent in the middle of crown board

i will when back this weekend

thanks for the advice!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

But why do you need to have the crown board vented? Can you explain the reasoning behind that because it makes no sense to me

No need for any vents in crownboars - or elsewhere. That is probably where your problem lies

 

[Erichalfbee]

No need for any vents in crownboars - or elsewhere. That is probably where your problem lies

Ah. It appears there is a vent which itself has a cover and you wait for the bees to propolise it shut. So it’s no longer a vent.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Ah. It appears there is a vent which itself has a cover and you wait for the bees to propolise it shut. So it’s no longer a vent.

Ah! makes sense
To someone I suppose

 

[Cuckmere couple]

i just didnt put the cover over and should have...didnt realise

schoolboy error

 

[Madge]

But why do you need to have the crown board vented? Can you explain the reasoning behind that because it makes no sense to me

Abelos have an option of closing the board, or using the vents instead of travelling screens, or keeping the holes open for feeding. If you don't know what Abelo crown boards look like, see here.

...
No need for any vents in crownboars - or elsewhere. That is probably where your problem lies

Except when travelling. And that's why they're there. They can be closed when not needed.

Ah. It appears there is a vent which itself has a cover and you wait for the bees to propolise it shut. So it’s no longer a vent.

No, you don't have to wait for them to become propolised in order to close the opening - but bees being bees, that's what happens. It's easy enough to pop out the propolis if you need the vents for travelling, or exchange them with fresh ones.

Ah! makes sense
To someone I suppose

Wake up.

 

[Madge]

Besides, I do exactly the same with my plywood crownboards as with the Abelo crown boards: The plywood crown boards have feeding holes which I keep covered with a piece of acrylic or plywood, open when feeding, or pin wire mesh over the hole when travelling.