# Inner covers. Do you use them?



## Mtn. Bee (Nov 10, 2009)

:s
I was going to post the same question!
Wondering about the folks that use Migratory Covers?
I tried it this season with and some without and it didn't really seem to matter, except there seemed to be better top ventilation without them.
Your thoughts?


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## Todd 64 (Nov 13, 2009)

I`m not comercial nore do i move my hives to greener pasture but i do us inner covers. I believe they are a must for winter servival. They provide a dead air space that works as a insulated layer against the cold. Their also a great place to put your upper entrance. If you live in a warm climate year round probobaly not much point spenden money if ya don`t have ta!

6 years,39 Hives and going strong


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

We do not use inner covers. One more piece of equipment to worry about, plus telescopes don't work too well with pallets. We do have rims on our migratory covers to accommodate patties. Without the rims the top bars sometimes got pretty hot and the rims help with that too. With no inners we can just slide the cover to the outside a couple inches to expose the division feeders towards the inside of the pallets for syrup so feeding goes very fast. 
If you use telescopes, inners are a must because you could not get under the telescope to break loose the propolis when opening the lid.
Sheri


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## copper287 (May 31, 2009)

I do not.One more place for a shb to be.copper287


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## jesuslives31548 (May 10, 2008)

50/50 som e of my equipment I baught had them, some dont. Great hidding place for SHB here in Ga. But I have noticed a difffrence with better build up with the inner cover. I dont move my bess so I can have them with no worries of transportation issues. my2cents


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## alpha6 (May 12, 2008)

Don't use them...no need. The bees do fine without them. Also no problem putting on patties with them in place. Like Shari said the main reason to use the is with Tel covers as you won't be able to get them off if you don't use the inner cover.


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## sebee (Jul 19, 2009)

Sorry for the stupid question, but can someone post a link to a picture of a migratory cover? Im not exactly sure what the difference is between a telescoping cover and a migratory one. Thanks.


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## Todd 64 (Nov 13, 2009)

All my inner covers have a 1x3 nailed to the top. turns them into a shallow box. I can feed my girls without exposing them to the elements. I put a few pounds of granulated sugar up top just in case. Sugar works great as a moisture crystal.I feed syrup using ziplocks. I us a rolling pin to flatin out the patties a little more .It`s a bit time consuming, but my girls are worth it.
Have no SHB on vancouver Island, knock on wood! I have found queen b.bees and queen yellow jackets wintering up top as well as woodbugs, earwigs, spyders and of corse ants. All but the bumble bees get squashed. What i do works for me. I`ve lost 4 hives in the past 6 years and the funny thing is, I change my wintering method each fall. Wind and moisture are the leading cause of winter mortality on the Island. 

Have a good one from the Rock!!


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## Todd 64 (Nov 13, 2009)

It`s better to say someone has a lack of knowlege than it is to say their stupid!


Have a good one from the Rock!!


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## alpha6 (May 12, 2008)

Looks like this.

http://www.umass.edu/umext/mac/Images/Beehive.jpg

Basically it is a piece of plywood with support strips on the ends.


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## sebee (Jul 19, 2009)

Thanks. And Im assuming that the main reason people use migratory covers is just to make moving hives easier?


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## alpha6 (May 12, 2008)

yeah easier to work and less equipment to deal with. Easy and cheap to replace also.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

JohnK and Sheri said:


> We do have rims on our migratory covers to accommodate patties.
> Sheri


Would you happen to have a photo to share?

I use a plywood cover. Which means that I have to nail it down between visits and when moving. Many of the other commercial beekeepers that I know have more substantial covers w/ rims, like Sheri mentioned.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

sebee said:


> Thanks. And Im assuming that the main reason people use migratory covers is just to make moving hives easier?


They help to tie a load together. Especially across the semi.


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## HarryVanderpool (Apr 11, 2005)

The telescopic outer covers are a couple of inches wider than migratory lids that are the same width as the hive.
2 inches per hive really adds up when loading a truck.
An 8' bed will handle rows of 6 hives across; 5 hives across with telescopic lids.
On a 14" bed thats 84 hives doublestacked; 70 with telescopic lids.
I switched to migratory when I started moving bees around.
Otherwise, I still prefer telescopic for some reason.
Just don't use them much anymore.


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

sqkcrk said:


> Would you happen to have a photo to share?
> .


I am in California right now. We are feeding and putting on Keith's "Miracle Grow" pollen sub , but I'll see if I can take a photo and post it from here.
Sheri


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## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

Sheri; would you also shoot before & after the Miracle Gro treatment?


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Sheri -

Don't forget to get "the recipe" while you're at it.


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## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

For transportation, it's much easier if the cover is glued down by the bees.


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

Barry said:


> Sheri -Don't forget to get "the recipe" while you're at it.


I already have an offer from Chef, will ya up it?
Sheri


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

Tom G. Laury said:


> Sheri; would you also shoot before & after the Miracle Gro treatment?


Will do....
Sheri


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

Mark, here is the pic of the rim. It is basically the same size as an inner cover but the ends make it migratory. Not much more than your plywood lids I imagine.


Oh, and Tom, here are some Before and After pics.
Poor puny little bunch of bees ready for a patty.


This picture was taken 5 minutes later!!!
Can you believe it!?!


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## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

I'd believe ya' if your before and after were from the same corner of a pallet.:lookout:


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## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

J & S K,
I got some lids that look just like yours except they don't have the rim shims. They do have the little pieces of tin covering the cheese sample holes. Might of even come from you at one time. They come from McEvoy(sp?).


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

sebee said:


> Sorry for the stupid question, but can someone post a link to a picture of a migratory cover? Im not exactly sure what the difference is between a telescoping cover and a migratory one. Thanks.


Here ya go, is a link to a migratory cover for sale at Mannlake

http://www.mannlakeltd.com/ProductDetail.asp?idproduct=1585&idCategory=20

I use plywood migratories with a 1x2 on the front and back edge to keep them on the boxes, I don't have a cleat running across from side to side on the top at front and rear. With all the pics I've seen of die outs with inner covers with telescoping covers, I can't see where migratories are a bad thing, at least not where I'm at.


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

Beeslave said:


> I'd believe ya' if your before and after were from the same corner of a pallet.:lookout:


Darn, I knew someone was gonna catch that!:doh:

Yeah, a few of us bought semis of those cheese boards. They make dandy lids. Our nuc boxes are very distinctive too, being made from them. I saw a pic on a blog once about catching a swarm and there was our nuc box being used to put it in. Didn't know the blogger but the box was from someone who bought nucs from us.
Sheri


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

JohnK and Sheri said:


> Darn, I knew someone was gonna catch that!:doh:


But at least you didn't have to combine them for the shot like I did.


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## coloran (May 8, 2008)

I manage 150 colonies with mostly telescoping covers with inner covers. I just started using migratory covers with a hole in the top to use jars for feeding. I still like using inner covers with both types of outer covers. The lip around the inner cover provides a little extra space when feeding polen or grease patties. I can also go from telescoping cover to migratory cover without disturbing the bees if I need to move the hives. i make 14 covers from 1 sheet of plywood so the extra cost is minimal.


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

i make 14 covers from 1 sheet of plywood so the extra cost is minimal. 

:scratch: They must be 8 framers
Ernie


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## coloran (May 8, 2008)

No, they are for standard 10 frame hives. I cut 2 - 15 7/8 X 20 across the bottom. Then I rip the sheet into thirds (15 7/8 wide). Then I cut the strips 20" long (4X20=80 leaving 16 across the bottom) Total of 14 boards 15 7/8 X 20. I then rim them with 3/4" strip.


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