Cover Board

[Etton]

I’ve been watching a few excellent vids on Utube from Stewart at the Norfolk Honey company. All the vids show the feeder holes open in the cover board, I always keep mine covered if not feeding. What do others do, what’s considered best practice? Maybe it’s just summer he keeps them open, I suppose it also reduces condensation.

 

[birdsandbees]

like leaving the loft hatch open in your house I'd imagine, wave goodbye to the warmth that the bees are working hard to create.
I think Stewarts roofs fit down fairly close to the crown boards but IMO if it has a hole in it then its either for feeding and should be closed when not in use or it's a clearer board.

I've watched a lot of his videos but you have to spend a fair while skipping through them unless you want chapter and verse on how to donate money or subscribe to his other media channels.

 

[Millet]

If you close the vents in the roof's you can.. or use (Abelo poly roof's)... you can use whatever crown board you like if you have no air vents..personally i like the holes closed so i do not have a pile of bees on top of the crown board when i check fondant levels when it is cold..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I’ve been watching a few excellent vids on Utube from Stewart at the Norfolk Honey company. All the vids show the feeder holes open in the cover board, I always keep mine covered if not feeding. What do others do, what’s considered best practice? Maybe it’s just summer he keeps them open, I suppose it also reduces condensation.

It's a throwback to a load of bad advice thrown out by EB Wedmore after the last war.
As you know, some beekeepers just stick to any old mantra chanted out years ago and refuse to think or change their system.

No need for a hole in the crownboard at any time of the year, doesn't reduce condenstion (that was just part of the 'advice' chuntered out by Wedmore) If it wasn't for logistics/storage issues I would use a solid crown board and have a separate one with a hole for feeding.
As it is, I just cover the hole when not feeding.

 

[beebopper]

Always cover them. As I understand it coverboard should have no holes. Its a feeding or clearer board if it has holes. I am assuming a coverboard and crown board are one of the same though.

 

[Millet]

As it is, I just cover the hole when not feeding.

Or make them with a built in disk that can be open or closed..well i have anyway..

 

[Poly Hive]

Nor does he run insulation over the crown boards. Cover board is the American version I think. Most of his videos are good but there are bits I am not keen on.

PH

 

[nantmoel]

It's a throwback to a load of bad advice thrown out by EB Wedmore after the last war.
As you know, some beekeepers just stick to any old mantra chanted out years ago and refuse to think or change their system.

No need for a hole in the crownboard at any time of the year, doesn't reduce condenstion (that was just part of the 'advice' chuntered out by Wedmore) If it wasn't for logistics/storage issues I would use a solid crown board and have a separate one with a hole for feeding.
As it is, I just cover the hole when not feeding.

All my cover/crown boards are clear, I cut a hole with a 50mm gutter, the piece of clear perspex that is removed is glued onto a another piece and I pop this back in the hole, only ever removed for feeding.

 

[Curly green fingers]

Nor does he run insulation over the crown boards. Cover board is the American version I think. Most of his videos are good but there are bits I am not keen on.

PH

Yes American terminology again , I've watched bee's using the condensation on the inside of crown boards I presume it's to help either with stores or to raise the humidity in the cluster .
I agree crown boards should be solid unless your feeding .

 

[Poly Hive]

Solid with insulation on top. Don't forget the insulation.

One of these days the penny will drop that the bees love to be cosy.

PH

 

[Curly green fingers]

Solid with insulation on top. Don't forget the insulation.

One of these days the penny will drop that the bees love to be cosy.

PH

The penny's droped

 

[oliver90owner]

Does this poster never read any threads other than his own?

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=43853

Among a host of others.

 

[HoopersHouse]

I normally keep a thin piece of wood over the feeder holes on the crownboards when not feeding. I assumed as the bees kept gluing my little covers down, they preferred them shut. I'll be buying some crownboards without holes in this year to please them.

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

 

[Finman]

Maybe it’s just summer he keeps them open, I suppose it also reduces condensation.

Hives do not have condensation in summer.

What ever, hive top opening spoils bees' heat balance system inside the hive.

 

[Poly Hive]

This is not pleasing the bees this is responding to their REQUIREMENTS.

As beekeepers, which is the wrong word really we are their servants not masters.

PH

 

[HoopersHouse]

I normally keep a thin piece of wood over the feeder holes on the crownboards when not feeding. I assumed as the bees kept gluing my little covers down, they preferred them shut. I'll be buying some crownboards without holes in this year to please them.

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

This is not pleasing the bees this is responding to their REQUIREMENTS.

As beekeepers, which is the wrong word really we are their servants not masters.

PH

Just being LIGHT HEARTED

 

[enrico]

Does this poster never read any threads other than his own?

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=43853

Among a host of others.

That thread is about roof vents. This one is about cover board holes. Not all of us have memories like yours RAB! Oh to have one at all!
E

 

[Finman]

That thread is about roof vents. This one is about cover board holes. Not all of us have memories like yours RAB! Oh to have one at all!
E

It is same roof vent. Hole is hole.

 

[enrico]

It is same roof vent. Hole is hole.

No it isn't. Roofs have vents and crown or cover boards have holes. Two different pieces of equipment with two different orifices.

 

[Finman]

No it isn't. Roofs have vents and crown or cover boards have holes. Two different pieces of equipment with two different orifices.

.
That is bad if a beekeeper does not know, which hole?