My inner cover is 'stuck' at the bottom of my hive

Beekeeping - Basics
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tl;dr: My inner cover is at the bottom of a newly moved hive - how critical is it that I get it out of there ASAP?

Longer version:

  • I picked up an over-wintered colony on the weekend - very full single brood box.
  • The person I got it from recommended I get a second brood box on ASAP - the bees were already starting to make comb in the lid in the couple days between dropping off and picking up the hive.
  • There was some confusion about the inner cover and when I picked up the hive it had been placed below the brood box and above the mesh base for transport.
  • The mesh base does not currently have the core flute insert - that has gone missing and I need to replace it.

So on to today:

  • Quite a windy day here in Canberra, clouds growing and rain coming - not an ideal day to open the hive but I wanted to get that brood box on ASAP as recommended.
  • I was hoping to move the inner lid as well, but it was quite hard to smoke in the wind, and I didn’t have a second protective kit to get a second set of hands-on the job. Also, I recently had surgery so my ability to squat and lift is limited for a little while.

And on to next steps:

  • I definitely want to get that inner lid back on top eventually (or buy a replacement - if for example someone recommended I leave the bottom one alone but I should get something on top of the box under the gable ASAP)
  • I have been recommended to leave the hive for a month now that the second brood box is on.
  • Is having that inner lid under the hive like this a problem?
  • I imagine it is slowing the movement of bees in and out of the hive, but perhaps no more than an entrance reducer.
  • Could it limit their ability to climate control the hive? Or is this maybe actually just doing the job my coreflut would do providing some insulation? We’re looking at coolish spring weather for the next month. 16-20 max and -2 to 5 mins in the next week. We might see a shift up a couple degrees in a months time.

I won’t touch anything till I can get my wife a veil so she can help, but should I move the inner cover prior to my first inspection in approx a months time?

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Good afternoon, i have just read your notes and was wondering how you went?