Damp and mildew in feeder box

[PaulP1]

Hey bee friends,

I opened up on of my hives (Flow Hive 2) today to refill my sugar syrup feeders. I noticed that the super that I use as a “feeder container” is real damp and starting to grow a little mildew or something. It’s even a little damp on the top of my inside cover. The wood also seems to be swelling a fair bit. It’s been a little damp here, but not too bad. Should I be doing something? I couldn’t find anything in my bees for dummies books about this, and nothing in the forums quite answered it (that I could find, at least, but I could just be dumb).

I’m in the Pacific Northwest. Temps are cool (60F most days) and we are on the humid side. The tray is in place in the bottom. I have one brood box that is 3/4 full of comb, and another brood box on top to hold the feeders.

Thank you!

[PaulP1]

[Wizard]

You need to vent the roof. Open the plug, screen it off. Then drill one 1 inch hole in the front and 2 one inch holes in the back of the gable and screen them off. Make sure your hive gets a lot of sun.

Inner cover & Roof ventilation

Hello! New beekeeper here in Michigan, USA. I have an 8 frame Flow Hive 2. I assembled it and installed a nuc. Bees are doing great. I spoke with a local beekeeper who says that the hole on the inner cover needs to be left unplugged for ventilation. But I thought I read that it should be kept closed so bees don’t make comb up under the roof. Any help?

[Wizard]

Here is a link for some people over your way. They are familiar with your area and may be able to better assist you. I know Washington can be wet (understatement).

Washington State Bee Keepers

Hello fellow Washingtonian beekeepers! Figured I’d start a thread for our state so that we can discuss all things beekeeping related to our neck of the woods. We are located in Everett, WA, just north of Seattle. This is our 2nd year of bee keeping and we have 2 hives set up. Our first year was great, we only had 1 hive and we harvested 15-20 lbs of honey. Hoping this year is better yet. We are really looking forward to getting our complete Flow Hive and getting it set up for next year!

[AdamMaskew]

It is just too much space for the bees to manage - a new super being drawn out and the open space of the super being used to cover the feeder. Can I suggest that you move the cover board to be between the bees super and the feeder super and feed through the hole in the cover board. The space will be more aligned to the bee population, you can still feed and you’ll be able to change the feeder without exposing the bees.

Adam

[Tom_Frederick]

I went to ventmyroof.com and got a 2" screened louver that fits in the upper cover hole. Then I got a bag of 1" screened louvers to cover the holes I drilled in the front and back. It looks really classy and does a great job ventilating.
I am assuming that in the winter I will want to replace the plug on the outer cover, no?

[HappyHibee]

I’d put your cover board bellow the box your using to accommodate the jars. Its the build up of moisture from the heat of the hive and feeding directly over tye frames.

The box will clean up OK with a good scrub of soda crystals and hot water.

You could adapt your crown board and cut circular holes in it to accommodate the jars.

It’s tye one dislike I have with the flow gable roof not enough dace for a decent feeder underneath and something easily fixed if the just made the sides, front and back 2 inches taller.

Then a rapid round could fit underneath.

Full size top feeders in the UK are thicker so even with that being used instead of jars the roof doesn’t fit.

Or an option from Flow to choose a flat standard overhanging roof so it’s universal for thicker framed boxes most have the same issues with.

[Diggory]

Hi had the same problem and found using an insulated layer on top of the frames plus more ventilation (using fly screen to avoid attacks from predators or robbers that route) has really helped.