Extra ventilation hole

Hello, how will I know if my colony needs some extra ventilation? I have the Flow 2 and summers here in Greece can be quite hot (>37° Celcius)

Thanbk you!

The bees are quite good at regulating the hive internal temperature but if you have really extreme temperatures there are a few things you can do:

Make sure the bees have a good water supply
Provide shade
Make sure the entrance is open
Put some screen over the hole in the inner cover
Take out the debris tray
Put a popsicle stick between the boxes
Provide an upper entrance
Add a super
Drill extra holes in the gable roof eaves

I’m sure there are more suggestions but there are a lot of interventions you can make before needing to add holes

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Thank you so much for the reply! Can you please define “really extreme temperatures”? :smiley: (water is not an issue, there is plenty for my girls!)

Hi John, extreme temps in my book would be many days over 95F. Summers here in the lower northeast US can bring heat like that, along with humidity. I situate my hives so they receive mostly morning and midday sun, and are gradually shaded in the afternoon. I use a central entrance reducer that leaves two openings on either side of the box, and the bees will capitalize on the ability to convect air through the hive that this arrangement gives them. White or light colored box paint and especially roof paint is also crucial.

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