Do you cover or leave open your crown board holes

[Charlieb]

I haven't used conventional crown boards for a very long time now. My cover board is mesh with a bar across for feeding. In the winter I put polystyrene boards over the top. Experience has taught me that bees are better ventilated and I can look in and check them anytime without too much disruption. It's whatever you believe works best for the bees and the way you manage them.

 

[oliver90owner]

That would be with OMFs, and no roof either?

 

[victor meldrew]

Can't help but wonder how long your mesh remains capable of ventilation?
My lot would propolis within the week!
Each to his own as you say but the bees have their own agenda
VM


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[Erichalfbee]

My cover board is mesh with a bar across for feeding.

So you have an open mesh roof and floor or is your floor closed?

 

[Compostcritter]

I leave them open all year and all eight colonies came through winter.

 

[derekm]

Have you considered that bees express a preference not to be housed in that fashion?
(They express a preference for a bottom entrance with a dark cavity).
Have you considered the level of thermal stress you have placed on the bees?

Have you considered that each extra watt of power required to maintain the colony consumes the lives of 100 individual bees per day

Have you considered that housing animals in conditions that are against its preferences and placing them under severe stress could be considered cruel?

 

[prana vallabha]

I add mesh then the bees can make the choice . Funny enough though they always cover the mesh with propolis , so this tells me that they prefer it closed ....

 

[susbees]

You may notice that the mesh-ites both live in Lampeter, Wales...co-incidence? Sounds a bit far fetched unless the varroa mites have long bendy poles...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You may notice that the mesh-ites both live in Lampeter, Wales...co-incidence? Sounds a bit far fetched unless the varroa mites have long bendy poles...

co-incidence or just a strange lot around there? (oops, must be careful as I have bloodlines in that area - my great X5 grandfather the infamous oakley leigh was port reeve of Lampeter and by all accounts he did believe in broadening his gene pool!!)

Plenty of Poles in your area - especially in Llanybyther

Saw an OMF in Chris B's apairy and that too had been propolised solid (Hmm cat amongst the pigeons!)

I Don't bother with mesh or a hole - use a solid crown board

 

[rowbow]

Hole closed

I use glass crown boards the hole is covered with a piece of glass, if you put a wire mesh over the hole they gum it up, The hives are on mesh floors so they don't want a through draft.
John